Her touch
by lafeedeslilas
Summary: He hugs her tight and realizes that his soul had been waiting. There is no declaration of love, no proclamation of gratitude, just a single silent tear from a hurt crimson eye and, her touch. Only her touch. The warmth seeps in- Epilogue done. COMPLETE!
1. Touch 1

**Chapter one: Let your soul be cursed and your heart be lone**

"I curse you". It was night, and it was pitch black. A slender figure in an ironical white dress stood in front of a boy, cursing.

"Why?" The boy asked

"For not loving me, for breaking me" _How obvious_, he thought, _how predictable._

"If I had loved you, you wouldn't curse me?"

"No, I would have cursed you all the same" He arched his eye brow at the unexpected answer.

"Why?" he inquired once again,

"For leaving me one day…" The boy passed his hand through his white hair and sighed. _It was true… _Now he wondered how she could damn him more than he already was.

"If you cannot love me, I'll have you hate me so I never leave your mind. I'll taunt you.." The girl's light hair shone under the moonlight and when the night wind blew, she didn't shiver. She was already cold.

" You are just being selfish." He stated looking at the ground. He wouldn't face her.

"You are right. It's not because I love you but because this is what my love left. Because I loved you once, I want you to not forget me. I'll accomplish that through your hate." The boy really wanted to laugh

"Then please tell me _meister_, how shall you accomplish such feat?" The child said with a mocking voice, smirking only at himself. The girl paused for a moment before announcing her curse.

"One thing that you will come to love most, you will not able to touch while in your human form." The guy snorted. _heh. So no physical contact, was it? how insignificant._ Then he lifted his head to finally see the girl swaying in front of him and glared, only to say

"I will not love again", It was the girls turn to smirk.

"Wrong." She said defiantly, disappearing little by little, leaving little trails of dim lights. "You have yet not loved". And the body finally faded emitting last a despicable smile of hate and revulsion.

Soul was left alone only to stare the lonely night.

..........

His meister had been gone for a year. He didn't miss her. _What was her name?_ he thought passing the empty street. _Oh yeah, Halle…_ He laughed at himself at the thought that he hadn't forgotten her.

Soul had transferred into a new school since then. There had been no point to stay somewhere that had lost its purpose. _The purpose of suppressing the monster within him._ Soul had paired up with Halle only because both of their wavelengths had synchronized perfectly; which was a very rare occurrence. Yet he had only done so, to repress the demon. To not become insane, like his father. At the memory of the gigantic black, ominous and crazy figure, he felt like vomiting. He would not become like him. _But Halle had been weak_. He said to himself. She had wanted worthless love from him that he couldn't give. For him, she was only a tool. A tool which use was to prevent him from becoming a monster. Although he knew he already was.

And then one day, in one of the battles, he had gotten out of hand. Overwhelming her soul completely and taking possession of her to only end up destroying totally her wavelength. Her soul. Her love ended up in hate. Hate was what made one stronger but it had been too late for her.

As Soul recalled what had happened in the past he realized he had already stepped in the unknown and to him, new building. _Shibusen.. huh?_ _What a weird name._ The slim boy tucked his hands into the baggy pockets of his jacket after pinning his "weapon" tag on his hair band. Finding a new weapon technician was the only thing in his mind now.

He strolled down the ample hallway and saw various weapons and meisters walking around and chatting. It was probably their first day of matching up and partnering. They looked lively and excitedly talked to each other, with small giggles and laughs from here to there. Soul eyed the technicians and discarded every one of them as they passed by his side as he only labeled them as trash. _Weak. Weak. Weak._ He sighed. Were kids here really that worthless? Suddenly he felt a slight potential power, he turned around eagerly to see whose it belonged to and only found a really noisy guy hanging and swinging high on the red curtains that adorned the large glass windows. What was the kid saying? Something about star… stage.. food.. gloriousness.. and.. hya hoo? Nope that _thing _was not his type.

He kept on with his search and after saying the same boring word more than enough, he slipped away from the main hall and slumped himself on a chair. Then he noticed something. A piano. He stared at it absent mindlessly for a while and then decided to give the old black thing a try. He rested his hands on the white heavy keys and by closing his eyes he entered into some kind of sweet trance; he let his fingers fall and make music.

..........

The music was heart breaking. Maka's ear prickled at a sudden sound and turned her head into the direction that the music flowed from. Dumbfounded and surprised, she stopped walking towards the main hall where everyone was gathered up and listened. After a while of hearing the piano sing, the brunette concluded that the song was not heart breaking. It was soul tearing. Another girl passed next to her and she heard her mutter in a low frightened voice to her friend

"Scary.. that sound is freaky! "

Maka's green deep eyes tilted. Was it? For her, the melody sounded beautiful. Maka felt strangely attracted at the sound, and unhesitating, she walked towards the origin of that mourning. Before she knew it, she found herself standing by the door, listening. The boy with the white hair stopped his playing abruptly and turned around with obvious annoyance plastered on his face to glare the curious little girl dressed up straight in her uniform.

"What are you staring at?" He snapped at the newcomer

"Wha… I.. I was just.. listening " She managed to explain. The boy sighed.

"So how was it?" Soul asked. He was not the type to start a conversation but he decided he would when he noticed the technician tag on her blouse. _He should have closed the door..._ He regretted, as he waited for her answer.

"Beautiful…" The guy froze. He had expected something like Cool, dark, scary, frightening… or monstrous.. but beautiful? Was there even the slightest bit of beauty in what he had played? ".. and painful" she finished off her sentence. And Soul felt even more perplexed. As a moment of silence followed the statement he quickly tried to change the topic.

"So what are you doing here?"

"Trying to find a weapon of course. Duh !" She chuckled. Was it his imagination or was she not scared of him nor his hostility? He decided it was worth a try

"Give me your hand then" The girl looked at him with momentary confusion and then understood what he referred to and offered her hand.

Once they touched, they felt a connection. Not because their wavelengths matched but because they were totally different from each other's. They broke the link and looked each other confused. _This is totally unmatched. She will die if we make even the slightest error… This wont work._ Soul frowned as he stared at his own hand. Yet, it had felt good, for some reason…

"So wanna try pairing up with me?" At the sudden cheery comment and the sight of her satisfied smile, Soul returned to reality from his thoughts.

"Are you nuts? You'll end up dead!" Did she have beans instead of brain or what?

"I won't." Maka replied seriously with unfounded confidence. "Anyways, it felt nice, right?" She finished saying with another bright smile.

Soul couldn't believe it. Was she seriously ill? Yet after recovering from the slight shock he gave off his traditional smirk. _This is gonna get interesting._ He extended his firm arm once more to offer her a handshake and she responded with hers.

"Soul Eater Evans"

"Maka Albarn" She answered back with a nod.

And their fates met


	2. Touch 2

**Chapter 2: Let my heart and your soul live together**

_You are twisted, do something about that ugly personality of yours!_

_Don't crouch like that, people are watching!_

_Don't look at me with those eyes, you ungrateful child_

_What did you say? Quit your piano? Don't you dare to mention that again! Cant you be more like your brother?_

_You filthy low class weapon; you monster, don't touch me. _

_Don't_

_That obnoxious voice… again_

_Don't_

_Shut up _

_Don't…_

_Ugh a nightmare…_

…………………

"Wakey, wakey! School time~" A not very familiar voiced announced the hateful morning's coming accompanied by loud and noisy clanging from above his head.

"Ugh..What the hell..?" Soul rolled on his bed onto a side and tried to see what was the thing that was going to get a good taste of his morning punch. When his hazy crimson eyes localized the "thing" he groaned once more as he saw how Maka held high a fry pan and a iron tool on each hand and hit them happily. "Stop that…"

"Only if you wake up" she answered the plea with a smile and without stopping the sound. The bed boy lazily got up and the girl grinned with satisfaction: Who knew her new partner would be so obedient?

As she promised she stopped the clanging.

"Oi, do you always speak like that?" Soul asked as he got his clothes changed and followed his meister

"Like what?" Maka asked without looking back

"That weird tone when you woke me up"

"No, not really. I just tried to imitate Shinigami sama"

"Good. Never do it again or I'll move out, it's disgusting." Maka shot him a glare but the boy pretended to ignore it, suppressing a laugh. When the girl turned around, he sighed. With Halle silence had been the master of the house. The girl was shy and too weak. She had been afraid of any kind of contact and maybe so was he… Yet with this girl twirling in front of him, somehow he felt at ease. Maybe it was her many expressions, maybe it was something else, he decided he didn't care…

Yeah, it had been a long time since he had shared a table with someone and it didn't feel half bad.

…………..

Two of the new shibusen students stood in front of a large black board. The girl with the pony tails was tapping her foot impatiently with her arms crossed while the boy next to her with the bed head simply scratched his head.

"Done?" Maka asked

"Geez woman quit your buzzing" Maka kept giving him an inquiring look "I'm done" Soul grabbed a tablet and handed it over to the girl "Dessert-Death Stalker Scorpion Babari"

"Nice"

………**.**.

As expected they were having a hard time. It was after all, their first mission together. The wavelength syncro wasn't a problem. Although the wavelengths were total opposite they resonated fine. The issue was their _lovely _team working.

Maka huffed as the scorpion of two meters size, strolled down the hot sand and prepared to counterattack. She grabbed and squeezed the weapon hard and jumped to swing it, aiming the tail.

"Idiot! Aim for the head! What the hell are you doing?" Soul complained from his weapon form

"Shut up, I know what I am doing, just follow my lead." Maka yelled as she landed. The desert heat was killing her; she tried to tug the clothes that were bothering her footwork.

"Oi concentrate!" The weapon warned as the monster tried to pin his clamp on the technician's body. But as the girl avoided the contact, instead of having the aimed safe landing she rolled down a dune. "You are useless! I'm going to finish this up by myself" Soul took human form and walked towards the kishin soul stomping his way.

"Soul, stop it. Come back!" Maka shouted when she realized that her partner had gone off himself. She tried to stand up and catch the hasty boy but he was already in front of the scorpion. Silver scythe glinted with the sun as he solidified it in his arm and tried to cut the monster's head with a swift slice. However the beast quickly gave a turn and pierced his stinger on the Soul's back, sending the body flying to a side. As he fell he saw the scorpion moving towards him and his technician rushing to where he was.

"Stay back moron!" He shouted trying to get up, the monster was almost over him. However Maka ignored the warning and charged towards the creature in full speed.

Didn't she understand that it was dangerous? Didn't she realize she didn't have any weapon to defend herself if she ran like that? What was she thinking?

The Kisshin snapped viciously his stinger and faced the girl menacingly. Maka kept the speed and with a sudden glide she slid under the crab avoiding the arachnid's claws. Once she reached her partner she threw the body on her shoulder like a sack of potatoes and sprinted towards some rocks in search of refuge.

"That's why I was aiming for the tail you dope" She whispered in his ear as she flopped him on the ground.

"That was extremely risky, what were you think you were doing?" Soul responded from the ground giving her a glare

"Who are _you _to say that that was _risky_? And anyways, I can't leave my brand new partner become dead meat, can I?" Maka flashed a small smile and Soul kept silence.

Maka looked over the rock and scanned the landscape in search of her target. The thing was looking for them too. "Geez it doesn't give up, what a fitting name_Stalker_ Scorpion…" Maka grumbled. Soul lay on the scorching sand and kept panting

"Hey, this place is damn hot.. I cant move.. " he managed to mutter as he twisted of pain. Maka instantly put her hand over her partner's forehead and quickly turned him around and lay him chest on the ground.

"..What are you doing..?" the patient asked as he tried to peek at what the girl was trying to do.

"I'm taking off the venom from your body, if it's not done quickly the poison could kill you so put your head down and don't squirm" Once said that, Maka ripped the clothes and instantly put her mouth on the wound and began sucking.

"What the.. " Soul jerked at the sudden cool touch

"Don't move" Maka spitted the blood and sucked again the boy's bare skin "ugh.. stop.. that..it hurts" That was a lie of course, the problem was that it was starting to feel …good. _To_o good. I felt weird. Soul waved away the feelings he didn't fully understand and tried to sit up to push her away but Maka quickly took from her pocket a book and gave a direct KO shot on the head to the escaping boy.

"Maka chop! I SAID STAY STILL, I'll be done in no time"

"I'm fine just stop the .. sucking.. just don't touch me"

"I'm almost finished, cool down" she said as she pushed back the head on the sand Soul gave up his struggles and suppressed a groan as he felt the girl's tongue smoothly travel his back and cleaning his wound. Why did it feel so slow? All of a sudden the tongue flicked and Soul flinched at the feeling. Maka took out some bandages and wrapped it fast. She gave a small pat of I'm-done and stood on her knees to see if the stalker was still in range. She smiled. The kisshin egg was coming towards their direction.

"Get ready" she whispered with her hand open as a sign of commanding him to transform, he only obeyed.

The Death Stalker Scorpion approached the rocks and tilted its head in a sign of curiosity at what was behind. The technician with the scythe in her hand stuck to the border and waited for the perfect timing. The scorpion stretched it's neck to look at the other side; as soon as the malicious looking yellow eyes spotted it's prey, it was slay by it.

Soul transformed back and gladly took the sinner's soul in a gulp. Finished the meal he stared at Maka.

"What?"

"You're an idiot, you are too reckless"

"Excuse me for saving your roasted butt" the girl grumbled offended. Soul blinked, he had intended to compliment her. He tried again

"Yeah.. that..I meant you were cool" Maka looked at the shy thanks and gave off a broad smile, just like the first time they had met. But the moment was interrupted by a noise that was heard from the distance. Soul and Maka looked up only to see a helicopter carrying an object.

"Hey that's my bike" Soul said after recognizing the shade on the sky, the helicopter whizzed on top of their heads for a moment and dropped the object onto the ground and left. "They probably didn't found us at home so they delivered it here"

"Wow, this is nice." Maka said as she contemplated the vehicle "I never saw one so up close. Now we don't have to walk back" she finished happily

"Wait _we_?" Soul asked as he rode the bike and started the engines. Maka only tilted her head in confusion. Soul smirked as he thought of getting revenge for the licking _and_ hitting. "_You_ are running" and he took off.


	3. Touch 3

**Chapter 3:**

**Let your soul listen to her heartbeat and dance**

_I am in a black room alone. _

_In front of me lies my piano. Jet black with monotone keys. My piano._

_Yes, I alone will play it._

_I sit on the chair that was prepared just for me. I look around and see nothing. Good._

_Here, my stage. I will let no one enter it._

_My fingers descend in insane anticipation and the notes swirl in the air. Agitato… Affrentando…_

_Ah, ecstasy._

_My music, I will let no one disturb it._

_This is my instrument, my body; no one will touch me. I'm afraid I'll break._

_This is my concert, my haven; no one will find me here._

_This is my rhythm, my life; no one will serve me of company._

_No one will and no one has. It's too late to try. A wrong key played would break the melody. _

_There will be no duet, this is my solo. _

_But then why… Why am I trembling?_

…………….

"Hey Soul~ Souuuuuuuuuuul?? Were you listening?" Emerald eyes met the crimson's as he lifted his head.

"Huh? Yeah, I mean.. no"

"Geez, you were day dreaming again?" Maka asked concerned. She left Soul's food on the table and grabbed a chair for herself.

"Something like that." The boy took his fork and began messing up the food. _Ugh.. Peas… _But when he opened his mouth to complain about the greens he noticed how his technician was staring at him with a blissful smile plastered on her face. "Whats with the stupid smile?"

Maka frowned "You seriously need to fix your way of speaking."

"That doesn't answer my question"

"Well, I'm just really happy because we got 3 whole souls in one week!" The girl almost twirled off the chair from pure happiness and Soul simply arched a brow

"You are happy because of that. That's nothing!"

"Wha- Why do you say that? 3 souls in one week is a lot for one star mesiters!"

"Oh yeah, you're a _one star small fry_. I forgot, sorry. My previous partner was a two star and would feed me 6 souls in a week." Soul snorted and crossed his arms in arrogance, but instead of the usual Maka chop he was expecting, he got a different reaction. The air suddenly became dark and heavy and all that blissful satisfaction had disappeared into nowhere.

"You.. you are depressed?" Soul stuttered in surprise. He had insulted her, teased her numerous times before but this was the first time he had seen her in a state of total defeat.

"Haaah.. I'm a total failure… You are right, I am a small fry… " she mumbled as her body loosed air

"Oi, you don't have to say it like that" He fidgeted at the odd sight._ Wow_, so girls like her _did_ feel useless from time to time. Maka buried her head beneath her arms and after sobbing and emitting black clouds all over the place, she finally stopped and tilted her heads upwards to face her partner with totally different eyes. They were sharp and determined. It was as if she had remembered something that had made her forget the insecurity she had been feeling for a moment,

"Soul. What do you fight for?"

He tensed_. To get stronger, to suppress the insanity within me. To not become like my stupid father, to kill the monster that resides in my soul. _Of course, he couldn't tell her that. It was not something people like her – people who had lived normally in peace and freedom- would understand. _Or want to_ _understand_ he mocked under his breath. Trusting someone with one's personal issues only brought treason.

"Soul? "

"because it's part of the job and I don't like insanity" Well, it wasn't a lie.

"Such a vague answer" Maka chuckled.

"Then why do _you_ fight?" The brunette stopped at the question. She took a deep breath and her eyes softened

"My mum… she created Shinigami-sama's death scythe, my father. But because papa is a _horrible-shameful-beastly-monkey-disgusting-perverted-dimwit-_womanizer (Soul sweat drops), after having me and all, she divorced and left. Currently she is a missing person…but…"

"..but…?" the encouraging tone of voice from Soul made her continue

"..but she is the coolest person on death city. No. On the _whole planet_. I decided I wanted to be like her." Maka looked at her partner "I'll turn you into the coolest death scythe, like my mum did, it doesn't matter if I am the slowest slowpoke in the whole universe but then maybe…" her voice lowered down into a shy whisper. "..and maybe she will come back … I mean like..maybe.." . Silence followed for a brief moment. Then Soul slapped the girl's back

"Ouch! What was…"

"If you hunch over like that your flat chest will become _smaller_" He then gave her a stern look "..and I'm sorry but I am _not _willing to let you make me become a _cool_ death scythe just like your mum's." Maka's eyes stared at Soul, confused and hurt.

"I will become a _cooler_ death scythe than your mum's" The girl's face brightened up in a second and she gave off a wide smile of happiness that covered her face from ear to ear. Soul only smirked. Gosh, this girl had some serious mood swings. "So you just make me one. I'll .. I'll wait even if you take a Shinigami's life time"

As he finished his sentence he hastily rose from his seat to hide his blush and leaving the empty plate in the washing basin, he left; hands in pockets. Maka rose too and passed by the plate as she followed the future death scythe. She smiled. There were no leftovers.

………….

**Fifth mission: Chinese demon flautist Ham-lin**

_What am I doing!? _

Soul Evans Eater stood protectively in front of a Maka with a broken leg and unable to move. In front of him stood the demon flautist itself, the same who had inflicted those injuries on the scythe technician. Soul growled. The situation was bad. In fact, _very_ bad.

Everything had happened in a blink. They had come to retrieve the soul of the kishin but the astute devil musician had taken hostage a little girl. Because of this Maka had been given the condition of that if she threw her weapon to a side and let him go, the flautist would spare the 3 year old girl's life and leave her in the ground before escaping. However once Maka had obeyed the requisite, the demon fled with the child in its arms.

_That's one thing worth to remember, _the weapon with half human form thought in sarcasm, _demons never ever keep their promises._

The next thing he knew after the escape of the demon, was that his meister was chasing the ridiculous-plume-hat-wearing and bronze-flute-holding 5 meters high and 2 meter wide kishin _without _a weapon. Although the rescuer had put up a good fight and had managed to get the hostage back by biting the giant's arm off, the result had been obvious. The kisshin egg sent both of them flying with one massive punch and had consecutively caused the damage that had been previously mentioned; the saved prisoner was surrounded by Maka's arms and unharmed.

_What the hell am I doing!?_ Soul asked himself once more.

The situation was hopeless. He was supposed to run away.

_Leave her, abandon her, save yourself._ Logic spoke to him but his feet didn't listen.

He was supposed to not care as long as his objective of suppressing his own insanity and leading a quiet life was carried out. But then…

_Why am I protecting her?_ She was another passing tool, another tech more. She was supposed to be nothing, so _why _was he going as far as giving his own life to avoid another's getting killed? A brainless life that was so reckless that practically went straight into the claws of death without a second thought. Wasn't she afraid of _dying_? If she wasn't, then either she was a total moron or …

…_.or a brave soul_. His feet sunk in the ground in search of better stability as he saw the enemy approach.

"Hahaha, hihihihi… I never thought this would turn out so… " satisfied malicious black eyes shifted from the young boy to the hurt technician who glared back "..well played." Soul only kept his defensive stance. The humongous demon raised his pole-like flute to strike and hissed "Are you ready to die?"

"No, not yet" Suddenly the white haired sprung from the ground and tried to finish the kishin in one slash but the flautist clumsily evaded the hit. Then it swung it's flute to hit Soul's stomach and sent him flying. The teenager landed on a pile of wood boxes and coughed blood. From the distance he could hear Maka shouting his name in panicking worry.

He stood up again and spotted some rope. Quickly he planned an attack and executed it. Soul tied up the end with a piece of broken wood and threw it with towards the kishin's feet in a way that it tied it up. Without waiting a second he pulled the rope with all he had and the giant fell. No matter how much it squirmed to get up, his wide body and short legs wouldn't let him.

"Damn you!! You Shinigami's dog!" it shouted with frustration.

Soul slowly climbed the struggling body and without a word, he slay it.

Once done with the meal, he went to his meister's side and dropped on his knees to be at the same level of his partner's face.

"Wasn't I cool?" he asked grinning, half in satisfaction, half in pain

"yes, yes.." She said half weeping. Instantly threw her arms over him and began to spill tears like a new born baby. At first startled, the boy simply sat there immobile without knowing what to do but then his arms slowly responded the hug. When he had her in his arms, he realized that he could feel her heart beat. Her rhythm. Really, it was just like her. A steady walking pace, warm and tender.

_Andante… Andante Affettuoso… _

For some unexplainable reason he didn't understand, he felt he wanted for the moment to last forever. _So this is what we humans live on for_. He gave a slight smile at the thought. However from the corner of his mind an envious soul grumbled jealously "_One thing that you will come to love most, you will not able to touch. Soul, you are one step away from despair"._

**End of chap**

…………..

**S****o which is _your_ beat?**

**Agitato: Agitated**

**Affrentando: Hurrying, pushing.**

**Andante: Moderate, walking pace**

**Affettuoso: with tender warmth**

**of course there are more...  
**

**Author notes: **

**Papapapan!!!! Geez, I'm writing longer and longer aren't I? Well anyways, thank you to all reviewers! I'll try my best to update faster and to write better ok? **

**And to all the people who are confused about the curse thingy: The curse is "One thing that you will **_**come to love most**_**, you will not able to touch while in your human form." Right? Well, Soul here STILL hasn't fully come to love our dear heroine. That's why he is able to touch her, ok? Let's say he is still within the friendship line.**

**About the next chapter, this one is going to be filled with lots of action (of all kinds) (!!!)**

**Look forward to it! Because… the end is near**


	4. Touch 4

**Chapter 4: Let your soul not forget while your heart lasts**

_Soul._

"Tomatoes and pickles?!"The weapon read the shopping list out loud.

_Soul…_

"Peas and radish?!" The boy holding the shopping bag shuddered

_Soul, miss me? _

_Huh?_ Soul turned around following the subtle voice to only see nothing.

_Must have been my imagination._ The errand boy quickly forgot the strange occurrence and simply kept walking; yet the voice had been oddly familiar.

……………

He counted one month. One month since he had been partnering with Maka and so far there hadn't been any problems. One month with 20 maka chops, 18 missions and 15 souls.

_Not bad, only somewhat… painful._ Soul thought as he remembered the fall of the book and entered the house.

"Maka.. I'm done" He left the groceries on the table and awaited an answer but there was none. She was out. The scythe gave off a disappointed sigh and entered his room.

The lean teen flopped himself on his bed and glimpses of the past rushed to his tired mind.

He extended his arm over his face and thought he could still feel the beat of his meister in his hand. _Andante Affettuoso…_It was such a soothing pace. He hurled himself to face the window and his thoughts trailed back to his first mission. There had been the sucking, the first maka chop, their first time synchronizing their soul frequencies. He smirked; actually, he wouldn't mind _that_ happening again. Then way before that, the start of everything: their meeting next to the piano. She had smiled to him in spite of his hostility, in spite of his music. _Fearless_. The boy felt himself smile at the adjective that suited his partner extremely well. Suddenly he frowned and sat. There was something more that he was forgetting. Something unpleasant. Then he groaned as he found what he was trying to remember: The curse.

Feeling the need of an open space, he quickly directed himself to the exit. But when he tried to budge the door open, the thing kept locked. The boy felt that something was a little bit off.

And his premonitions were right. Out of the nothing a person materialized in front of him and was grinning in a wicked manner.

"You." The face of the trapped teen darkened immediately

"I say, you haven't forgotten about me. _Soul._ Enjoying your life without me?"

"I thought you were dead?"

"You wish. As you see, I'm here right in front of you. Alive and kicking."

"Quit playing, what happened? Explain" He demanded

"I don't want to."

"You've become quite disobedient and noisy, haven't you, _Halle_."

"Actually I feel better than ever." A tense silence drifted between the two for a while until she spoke again "Anyways let's talks about something more worth talking; how is the new girl?" Soul quickly understood what she meant and responded harshly

"I don't love her. She is only a tool, just like you were."

"DON'T LIE TO ME!" The female screeched, envy and hate invading the air of the room but as fast as it had come it went away just as quick. Once the anger dissipated, the ghostly technician softened her eyes with obvious hypocrisy. "I don't like how she gets a special treatment but… we'll see". Then she narrowed her eyes in fake warning with the real intention of taunting. "Soul don't forget you're cursed" she gave a nasty giggle before making her point clear "I cant wait to see you drowned in misery". And she disappeared into thin air, just as she had done at the time of their first parting.

_We'll meet again._ Her last words whispered and hung heavily in the air as if it were the curse itself.

………

Soul was angry. In fact he was _furious_. When the door finally unlocked, he freed himself from the crumpled room and threw his body on the couch. The damn curse. He had totally forgotten about it until today. Maybe it was well deserved; he admitted he had been a total jerk to his previous meister from the time they had partnered. But the fault had also resided in her. She had always been quiet but also cunning. Twisted, the same as him. Soul couldn't blame the woman; they had the same wavelength after all and equals repelled. Could she have been saved from that hate he had before considered as strength if she had met someone more worthwhile? Someone _not-him_? Someone like Maka? Probably. He clenched his fist knowing that regretting never changed the past. His angry thoughts gradually changed into a subtle yet strong despair as he remembered once again the curse. He only repeated over and over again to himself one single thing:

He didn't love her.

But no matter how many times he told himself to convince his mind, he couldn't help but remember her smile, her eyes, and her _touch_…No. He gritted his teeth. He couldn't love her; he wouldn't _stand_ to love her, to not be able to feel her next to him. When had the little woman become so hard to let go? He needed to hate her. And sooner the better. As if the gods had heard his prayers, the girl herself entered the house carrying a pile of books.

"Soul? You ok?" Maka asked worried as she noticed the somber face of her partner.

"Yeah.." The scythe expert wasn't convinced with the half hearted answer and left the books on a side to sit next to the male.

"Are you sure? You look pretty pale..Do you have a fever?" Crimson eyes widened as they saw how the girl's hand approached to his forehead in a caring manner and before it could do so, the boy roughly grabbed the thin wrist. "Wha...?"

Good. He could still touch her. The white haired said nothing and just gripped tighter the tech's arm. He finally decided to what to do. If he couldn't bring himself right now to hate _her,_ then he would make her hate _him._ Maybe like that, his feelings would change without developing any further; he would avoid the curse. Hanging onto his only-felt choice, he pushed his body on the petite build of Maka and toppled her over the couch under him without releasing her arm.

"I.. don't like people getting too friendly with me" the weapon grumbled, executing his plan.

"You.. what?" Maka asked bewildered. First he had pinned her to the couch inadvertently and now _this_…

"You are only a tool. Don't get too cocky." There were still no signs of pain in her eyes, only confusion. Maybe if he scared her… Soul placed his mouth on the meister's neck and let his tongue give a slow lick and suck. He heard her gasp,

"Soul… what are you.. doing?" The cornered girl demanded an explanation in between pants and tried to helplessly push the body away but the boy didn't budge nor responded. Soul forcibly peeled the girls blouse off her stomach and let his fingers slide in. With his other free hand he felt her leg under the currently jerking partner's skirt. Then he let his head drop next to the girls face and nipped the ear with his sharp teeth to whisper with his coldest and cruelest voice,

"You fool; _mommy_ won't ever come to save you because you are a failure. You were _abandoned._"

He knew what followed after what he had just said. Maka's hand that had been trying to cover her exposed skin quickly landed on the boy's face as a slap. But Soul didn't feel anything; he desperately looked in her eyes the hate he was searching for. However his heart sank; on the girls eyes there was not even the slightest hint of hatred nor fear. The clear emerald orbs only reflected unwavering determination and trust; trust that he didn't deserve. Soul felt as if his own soul had just been ripped apart. Not bearing to look any more into her eyes, he hastily turned his face away. Once released, the weapon heard Maka's footsteps leave him.

………………..

Light reddish hair, small build, grey eyes, floating girl: Wandering demon ghost Halle

It_ had _to be her.

Soul and Maka ran next to each other towards their target. They hadn't chosen the mission, but instead they had been called urgently to clean up because they were in the area. The astute phantom girl had planned to stir trouble and lure them into a fight since the beginning.

But fighting her wasn't the main problem for Soul. Inwardly he complained at how she hadn't even given him the chance to apologize for what he had done. Soul sighed. They hadn't talked for the whole day after what happened. The pair stopped their running as they found the target on one of the building's roof.

"Let's go up" Maka commanded. The nostalgic voice was welcomed but the situation didn't let him savor it properly.

Was he the only one shaken? There seemed to be no anger or resentment in her speaking, or was it that she had already forgotten about it? Soul discarded the last answer knowing that what he had said and done was not something to be lightly taken and forgotten. She was controlling her feelings then. The scythe shook off his worries and followed his meister who was already climbing the stairs. If she wanted to keep it down and discuss it later, he would too. The mission was their first priority and that was his meister's silent order; personal issues came next.

They skid the dusty roof floor and finally spotted the demon ghost on the edge. Maka signaled her partner to transform with the habitual movement of hand but instead the untransformed weapon spoke to the floating girl.

"So kishin huh?" That explained the change of character, or better said, increase of nastiness

"You know her?" Maka asked surprised

"Say hi, she's my fist meister"

"Nice to meet you too, Maka-chan~" Halle chuckled

"How?" Soul demanded

"Impatient aren't you? Did you forget your family manners as you lived with _her_" the voice was filled with obvious disgust towards Maka,

"She doesn't like me" Maka stated

"_Really_? Tell me something I don't know" The only boy said in sarcasm, and then he repeated his first question "Halle?"

"Ya, ya.. I get it.. A passing witch fed me with an innocent child soul before I faded totally. That was after I cursed you." The red head directed a malicious smirk towards Soul and licked her dry lips "It was delicious"

"You monster.." The weapon growled

"Hey wait, what curse? Soul you didn't mention any of this to me!" The weapon and demon ignored the lost third person and kept their conversation going

"_Me_? a _monster_? Dear Soul, aren't you confusing me with someone _else_? Someone like.. _you_?" He said nothing. Halle let out a sigh. "Soul. Soul. Soul… aren't you tired of fighting?" The kishin descended from the air she had been standing on and cupped the weapon's face with her white hands. "Don't you want to just.. give up?" The voice turned almost soothing as the night. Suddenly as if they were hypnotized, crimson orbs couldn't leave the grey ones. Maka noticing something was wrong, tried to shake her partners arm and pull him away from the enemy

"Hey Soul! Don't listen to her! There is something weird in her voice" But the warning had been too late, Halle had taken possession of the scythe's mind and surrounded him with an electric barrier. Maka flinched at the touch

"Do you want to become stronger?" She enticed. "Give up everything. Leave reasoning and acquire strength. Forget everything, forget your fear and pain and indulge yourself to madness. Be_ free_ like me."

"Soul!" the brunette could only shout

"Can you hear it?" Halle whispered seductively to the half conscious weapon "Your music."

Soul felt his ears ring fiercely at the horrible sound that had just invaded his head. He groped his heart as he felt his chest palpitating furiously at the haywire rhythm. His blood was boiling. In an effort to relieve the loud sound that was driving him insane he grunted as he tried to deafen himself by covering his ears. But the noise didn't go away. He tried again this time screaming in rage to overpower the sound but all was no use. The noise simply got louder piercing his skull and sending him waves of pain through his body. His dizzy eyes could see on the distance Maka's lips moving, calling for him, but he couldn't hear her voice; there was only one thing.

_Noise._

………….

Maka watched as her partner braced himself and fell on his knees, screaming. She tried to reach for his arm once more but the electric barrier surrounding the boy's body repelled her. She shot a glare at the wandering ghost only to find her smiling. A mocking smile like that of a clown. That girl was clearly insane and It ticked her off. Without thinking of giving up, the meister surrounded the screaming body of the scythe with her arms and pushed into the body a forced resonance. The electric charges were burning her skin but ignoring the pain, she again and again sent her soul frequency to Soul until she was finally through.

_Soul_.

She called from inside. There was no response but in between the darkness she saw a boy covering his face and leaning on an old piano. Maka didn't question anything, didn't blame him for anything. She knew exactly what her partner need. So she simply asked for one thing,

_Play _

The boy didn't look up to her and kept his gaze on the darkness. He refused.

_No, I have forgotten how to_

She commanded again

_Play_

The stout figure shook angrily and extended his arms to wave them in the air that was filled with noise.

_Don't you hear this!? __This__ is my music._

Maka stepped forward behind the sitting pianist and let her hands fall on his shoulder.

_Play… I'll hear_.

At the repeated order, he felt his earlier stubbornness waver and his slender fingers caressed the keys hesitantly. Then he remembered his rules. _His music, he would let no one disturb it_. Yes, he would not let a stupid kishinmess up with his solo. And there was something different now too. He would not have to play for himself now, he would play for her. The doubt was gone; his hands fell on the keyboard and remembered the beat. And noise was no more.

……….

"Nice to have you back". A battered and slightly burnt technician welcomed him with a childish grin. Soul rubbed his head

"You ok? You smell like toasted bread"  
"Never mind that," In spite of the wounds, Maka stood up straight "Let's finish this" the boy nodded in response and stretched his arm with the purpose of taking the helping hand, but before he could do so, a mad scream prevented the reunion

"NO! IT IS NOT FAIR!" With eyes shifting in insanity and envy, the ghost went to the unarmed technician and pushed her in a crazy unbalanced movement over the edge of the building. Rapidly Soul turned around in rush to reach the body of the falling mesiter and tried to grab her hand. But a spherical wall interposed between his hand and hers and repelled the startled young boy backwards as he helplessly watched how his technician fell into the black. He hadn't missed the catch, _something_ had prevented it. Was it the curse? The shocking realization came quick as thunder:

He loved her.

………….

**Author notes:**

**Whew.. This was a long one huh?**

**The further explanation of the curse will come in the next chap… And I'm sorry if it was a bit too long. I'm not really good at organizing my chaps. But I'll work harder!**

**About the next update: I'm going travelling for a week or so, so I wont be able to write the next chapter soon now. So please wait patiently until I get back~**

**Thanks once more for all fellow reviewers and readers for bearing with my clumsy writing and plot.**


	5. Touch 5

**Chapter five: Let our hearts have mercy on a crying soul**

Love.

_What was love anyways?_

Maka felt herself sinking down. She winced. Her head hurt.

Where was she again? Ah yes, she remembered falling and hearing someone shout her name.

Who had called out to her? A familiar voice. A pleasant voice.

She must have landed in some kind of pool and hit her head. Her limbs wouldn't obey her useless brain. Yet this clear water that was choking her breath and surrounding her body, somehow felt… peaceful.

_It feels nice…_

Love again. She frowned.

Why was she thinking about love anyways? She was drowning and to top it, she was losing consciousness.

Was she going to die? She had heard before that when people face death, they are reminded of something important, something they do not wish to leave behind. Regret.

_Heh. Regretting before dying. A pitiful and sad way of leaving this world. Sad_…

She didn't know what love meant. She remembered searching the word in the dictionary as a child and had found:

"_A deep, tender, ineffable feeling of affection and solicitude toward a person, such as that arising from kinship, attractiveness, or a sense of underlying oneness."_

Love…

One word that means many. She still couldn't grasp it's meaning. The tech felt a slight increment of pressure; she was sinking deeper. Was water always this dense?

A special _feeling_ towards _**one**_ person._ Interest_ towards **one** person without any real cause. _Underlying oneness_. How was _that _suppose to happen? She didn't understand how a person could feel attracted to another without reason. The text was right. Love was ineffable.

_A magical and mysterious attraction…_ She chuckled beneath the water with the little strength she had. _So cheesy…_ It was funny how the dictionary which was supposed to explain things, wrote that the word was incapable of being expressed.

Her papa would always say to her "I love your mama".

A lie? Wasn't that kind of love supposed to be for only **one** person? A person only had one single heart to give. What would happen if it was given and shared to many? Wouldn't it well… _break_? Because since little she would see her father expressing a _deep and tender affection_ towards _**many **_women that _specially _derived from_ kinship_.

If that was what love was, then she didn't believe in it.

But then…

_What are you staring at?_

_Soul evans eater._

_You're an idiot, you are too reckless_

_I will become a __cooler..__ . I'll wait even if you take a Shinigami's life time_

_Wasn't I cool?_

_I.. don't like people getting too friendly with me_

_You ok?_

Glaring eyes, laughing eyes, shy eyes, pained red blood beautiful eyes.

She was drowning and maybe dying… What did she regret leaving? Why did she struggle to live when death seemed more soothing? More… easy? Her head hurt like hell itself. But all she could think about right now was that that person would be left alone.

She didn't know what love was. It was only a useless bunch of letters. She didn't understand love. It was unreasonable and books couldn't provide a decent explanation. She didn't believe in love. It was a childish fairytale. And most of all she didn't care about that cheesy-word-called love. It was only a passing curiosity. She only knew, believed and cared about one thing.

_Soul?_

……….

"MAKAA!!" Soul jumped from the place he was thrown off to and quickly dashed towards the edge of the building. His pupils trembled as he searched for the body of his technician desperately in the darkness of the night and screamed the name once more. "MAKA!"

Wind howled and quickly a big splash sound followed. There was a pool beneath. The scythe felt his heart sigh in relief because of the regained hope which had been about to be lost.

"Ow. How lucky, a pool. I wonder if she is ok; I mean we are in a pretty high place and all…" Halle said in an innocent voice as she expressed in her face how pleased she was with the result "Of course I would have preferred her to die straight away but that way it wouldn't be so fun. Wouldn't it So…"

"Shut up!" the boy responded hoarsely and prepared his body to jump. The demon ghost only gave a mocking smirk.

"Trying to be a hero? What are you going to do once you are down there? Save her? You can't even touch her!"

He hated the fact she was right. Nevertheless, the boy ignored the remark and jumped. Surprise covered the pale ghost face at the action of her ex-partner. He had never been like that. He had never called her name like that when she had been swallowed by his wavelength. Having nothing more to do on the top alone she started fading once more in a sad dim light.

"Idiot"

……

She wasn't there.

Where was she?! The moment he had landed on the water, he had searched for her body.

Damn it! Why was this pool so gigantic? If she wasn't inside then had she safely gotten out?

Maka,. Maka. Maka. Maka. Maka.

One single name, one single person, one single thought. Halle had been right when she had cursed him. He hadn't loved before. He had never felt the utter despair he was feeling at the moment. The desire to not _lose _something.

Soul swam to the surface and gasped for air. The boy hastily got out from the water and searched the land.

He found her. Along with someone else. Maka was lying unconscious on the arms of a red haired boy. He was had the same height as him and was wearing a t-shirt folded on the arms and black pants. He had red hair and grey eyes, the exact resemblance to Halle and the same colors as his eyes and hair switched. But right now he was too focused on her well-being he didn't took notice of any of it. Breathing heavily, he marched toward the unknown person who was holding his partner bridal style and tried to snatch his meister from the boy's arms, only to get repelled by an invisible wall. The red hair snickered,

"Moron" Soul banged the curse wall with his fists, trying to reach the girl.

"Maka! Wake up!" the technician's face kept lying backwards, water was dripping from her hair; She didn't react to his calling. The eyelashes wouldn't flutter as they had done before when he would wake her from her usual morning sleep. "Damn it Maka! Moron! Idiot! Shrimp!!" His voice was getting raspy from all the shouting, his hands were getting numb from all the hitting but Maka didn't move an inch.

"She can't hear you" the new guy with grey eyes stated calmly. Soul continued

"Small-butt! Pigtails! I'M TELLING YOU TO WAKE UP, YOU FRIGGING TINY TITS!!!" Maka twitched and the holder whistled

"Wow. That must have hurt her _a lot_. I mean, she unconscious but she has a vein pop right there. See it?"

"Tiny tits!" Soul called out once more in hope that this time she would give him the usual maka chop but she didn't move anymore.

"You should give up" the other boy said from the other side. Soul's face shot upwards

"Leave her on the ground."

"And then what? You are gonna take her home? I'm not dumb, I saw what happened. You can't even touch her. And seeing the writings on this wall that appears every time you get near to her, this a curse"

"Just leave her and go away you bastard" he responded with a growl and banged his body side-way in a futile attempt to break the wall and bounced backwards.

"Keh, useless. Pathetic. And you call yourself a weapon? You didn't even protect your tech from a miserable fall. I can't understand what my sister found in you."

"Sister?"

"Halle is my twin sis. I have heard a lot about you_, Soul_."

"What are you trying to do?" Soul asked with a threatening voice. The guy only shrugged

"I heard that a bastard killed my twin and she became a kishin. So I thought I would need a tech to get my revenge but it just happens that one fell from the sky."

"She is _my _meister"

"That's the whole point _genius_. Two birds on one shot. I get my revenge _and _a tech."

"Leave her" Soul's arm transformed into a scythe

"Don't try to move, _Soul_. If you do, I'll just break her neck right here, right now. I don't like crashing innocent bones, please help me to not to." The pale skin of the new boy tugged into a smile. He then turned around and walked away

"Where are you taking her?"

"As long as you don't try to follow me, I'll treat her. I need a tech anyway. "

Soul watched helplessly how Maka was carried away. When both silluettes were visible no more, the scythe dropped his tired body weight on his knees and hid his face behind his bangs in shame and hit the floor with his bare fist.

"Damn it!" He couldn't do a single thing.

…………….

The partner of the one he wanted to beat up was sleeping soundly on the floor.

_Cute._

Two days. She had slept for two days.

The kidnapper carefully held the unconscious head and bandaged the wound.

Silky light brown; like milk coffee. It was a nice hair.

He tried her wavelength and found out to be totally opposite to his sister's. Yet it had something pleasant about it. It was like milk coffee's scent.

His hands traveled her chin and his fingers trailed to her forehead. She had soft skin. Her body temperature was mildly warm.

A decent girl. Like a decent cup of milk coffee.

He smiled. He pretty much liked milk coffee.

…………….

Brown wooden walls, dim candles flickering across an old table, and small windows. This was definitely NOT her house. Maka tried to change her current sitting position only to realize she was tied up; both feet and hands. This was definitely NOT the way she would have been if it was her own apartment.

"You up?" In front of her a tall boy leisurely served himself a cup of coffee. And he was definitely NOT Soul either.

"Who are you?" green eyes flashed angrily

"That's not a very nice tone towards the one who saved you"

"Well, this is not a very comfortable way to treat the one you saved either, isn't it?" He crouched to match the tech's eye level

"You are right. But I say you are not really in a position to complain, _Maka_." Both eyes focused on each other until the girl's orbs widened in sudden remembrance.

"Soul! Where is Soul? What did you do to him? Is he ok?"

"I wouldn't really worry about others. Don't you realize your situation? You are T-R-A-P-P-E-D." he said spelling each letter. Maka's eyes kept strong; she was waiting for an answer. The male sighed as he found himself yield at the intense glare

"Fine. He is safe at home." The eyes softened in relief. The boy tilted the face of his hostage "Now let's go to the main point"

"What do you want?"

"I want you to be my tech to revenge my sister. I already tried your wavelength, it's ok." Maka snatched her face from her captor's hand

"No way. You really though I would agree to that lame cause? And besides, I already have a weapon"

"I knew you would say that. Then you'll just have to wait here until your partner gets beaten up by my sis"

"Sister?"

"Yup, Halle."

"Ah?! She is your sister? No wonder you guys looked alike. Seriously, all red haired people are messed up (obviously her dad included*laughs*)." She cleared her throat "Anyways, take me to Soul" Honestly, he felt surprised at how she managed to give him a command when she helplessly bound.

"Not until you agree to be my tech"

"I said take me to Soul"

"No"

"Take me to…"

"No"

"Fine."

"Oh? Giving up so quickly?" The captor stood up in disappointment. He had thought that the girl would put up a better fight. It bored him. However just as he had wished, when he was not paying enough attention, Maka did a roundhouse kick from the floor with her both tied up feet. Red hair sprawled on the floor confused. _Did she just…_ _that was unexpected._ He smirked and jumped up flexing his body forward. His hostage was running away. Or better said, _jumping _away. The male felt he could die of laughter by the _extremely_ amusing sight if it wasn't for the fact that she was escaping. Really, a girl who didn't care about grace nor about showing her white panties but only headed towards her goal no matter the circumstances. She couldn't go very far anyway like that. He caught up to her and she fell onto the dusty ground. He lightly sat on her.

"Nice move" said he in between suppressed chuckles

"You dare to laugh…!"

"No… Actually I admire your courage… quite a bit"

"Instead of complimenting me how about letting me go" She squirmed under him,

"No because I'm beginning to want you even more as my partner." The technician fell into silence for a brief moment and after some seconds the weapon heard a sobbing under his legs. "Wait, I'm sorry. Do I really weight so much? I didn't mean to …"

"No you idiot!" Maka shook him off and he fell to the ground, startled. "Stupid tears.. I hate them and I can't even wipe them off because of these stupid ropes..Just… Just let me go…"Maka's face dropped on the ground strength-less.

"Why..Why do you wish to return so much?" He clenched his fist. He couldn't understand. He never had a partner before. It was too bothersome; to have someone not-you meddle into your life was annoying. But she wanted to return to a guy like _him_? "Why do you want to go to that no-good-bastard? What did he _do _for you?"

Maka looked up. Seriously, what had Soul done for her? He always teased her, he was always being sarcastic, he was lazy, he wouldn't wash the dishes, he had made her a promise, he had saved her, and had even protected her. But that was not it. A tear rolled down her dirty cheeks as a new pain pierced her heart

"It's not because he is a really nice guy …" Maka sniffed "It's just that… he will be alone again…"

"So what? Isn't it better to be alone? Did he ever _tell _you that he feels alone?"

"No! It's just that… He looked.. Ummm.. I…" Tears swelled up on the emerald orbs again, this time because of suffocation frustration "..I know… I know that I know nothing about him…but still…" Maka hid her upset face. The boy couldn't watch anymore. He was supposed to have his revenge and now he was thinking of help his enemy's partner to meet up with him. Maybe he was going insane already, but somehow he just felt obliged to do something.

" I am definetly NOT suited to be the bad guy" He grumbled and cut the ropes. Then he lifted the girl on his arms "I'm taking you to your stupid partner" Maka face was full of obvious confusion

"Uh? That was really.. quick.. Why did you change your mind? Not that I don't like it or something but…" The weapon looked up at the sky as he tried to think of something; it was blue. He finally came up with an answer and grinned to her

"I guess, good guys are sucker to girl's tears" Maka laughed

"Cheeeeesy" then she remembered she had forgotten to ask "I never got your name Mr. I'm-not-a-bad-guy-although-I kidnapped-a-girl"

"Genn. The name is Genn Paynd."

………….

The hypnotic ticking of the clock.

The annoying sound of an empty house.

The darkness that could not be dispelled by lamp lights.

Soul hands traveled his white hair with nervous tugs,

His eyes madly shifted in search of _her_ presence.

She was not here next to him and he felt like becoming insane.

**End**

………………**..**

**Author notes: Well, say hi to Genn. He is Halle's twin brother. But as you see he pretty much fell for Maka already. Curious about what weapon is he? Try to guess XD. Maybe next chap I'll tell you. So…I like him, what do **_**you**_** think?**

**Oh and here is a little picture I drew about him:**

**....lafeedeslilas . deviantart . com/art/Genn-111893924**

**Well, thanks for reading and don't forget to review~**

**Next chap: Maka comes back to Soul. But Genn tags along? The gang (Well, mostly Soul and Maka.) tries to break the curse but while they do so, there will be lots of sweet moments included.**


	6. Touch 6

**Chapter six:** Let there be peace in our Soul before our heart is swayed by storms

In the midst of the night, the clock tower rang five times. The sound echoed the cloudless sky but no one heard the cry. It was midnight. Then silence waltzed in again for a minute and it was midnight past one.

Halle stood on the top of that tower, the coal colored clock hands pointed at her accusingly. She cast her head down and looked at the city sprawled under her bare feet that looked ridiculously small. She closed her eyes and felt her shoulders tremble slightly.

Was it fear? Fear of what? Death?

No. She was already dead. She was a kishin; a Kishin with a purpose of revenge.

It was midnight past two. She felt the cogs move mutely under her skin.

She was a kishin, so she was pursued and chased like an animal. Hated. Her eyes watched again the empty streets; the people slept as if dreaming were blessing, maybe it was for them. Under those careless smiles and innocent snores, those people wished for her soul to be ripped off. They wanted to take away what there was left of her. The little that was left of her.

Halle knew she had it deserved.

She was after all, the woman who had demanded a one-sided love and got killed instead, regardless of her feelings and devotion, then consecutively betrayed her heart and set off in revenge. The woman who had so desperately clung to her life, to the point of letting herself succumb in her fear and devour an innocent life of another to achieve her own salvation; or was it doom?.

Anger, sadness, grief, rage and madness had all mixed up into a single substance forming her hate. She still loved him. She had been just happy to be next to him, arm to arm, to know that he was hers. To know that she could at least hold him. But then she had cursed him, however the cause of it had been her love. Love was fragile as an hourglass; once broken, the sand had disappeared with the air. The remaining shards of glass had stabbed her, leaving her without a heart.

As Soul had said, she was just being selfish.

Halle tried to convince herself. What she was feeling right now was not love. It was what love left.

It was frustrating to have finally come to understand in this way, that it was all or none. Loved or not loved. Insanely simple. Disgustingly pragmatic. And she had not been loved.

Halle stretched open her arms sideways as if she were spreading wings and forced her toes into the edge of the cold bricks. She breathed. She dove. She knew she couldn't die with a fall. She was not human anymore.

She was a ghost. Trapped between heaven and earth.

…………….

"She is _mine_" Soul growled

"She is not a tool" Genn responded coolly

"Well, she isn't your toy either"

Blood eyes glared, grey eyes stood laid back but never less, steadily defied the other.

Everything had happened very quickly.

Genn had kicked down the door while carrying Maka on his arms and both had found the reason for the non-response of the apartment owner: Soul lay on the ground, apparently because of fat-loss and bad nutrition. Maka, after trying to slap her partner awake and had seen it didn't work, had quickly dashed off to make some food, leaving both boys in each other's care. Genn, after analyzing what option he had to wake his hostage's partner and revenge subject, leisurely went up to the bathroom, took a bucket of freezing water and dumped it on the fainted person's face wearing a very complacent smile. As the result, Soul seeing himself almost killed this time by breath-loss and realizing the cause of it was the enemy shaggily threw himself on the red haired and choked him by the collar with the little strength he had. The 'enemy' calmly explained the whole situation and what had happened (of course omitting some scenes). Soul had looked at him unconvinced, but then he saw Maka's safe back in the kitchen cooking, consecutively proving the most important part of Genn's speech. Soul felt his heart settle down and loosened his grip until he heard Genn comment how nice was Maka and exploded again. Thus the conversation of above.

"Bastard. What are you planning?" Soul spat menacingly, however Genn ignored his barking and stretched himself in a lazy movement

"Nothing"

"Nothing my ass. How can a guy who is trying to take revenge on me and tried to kill my partner is releasing her so easily?"

"Because, she possesses great convincing skills" Genn folded his arms and used it as a pillow as he lied on the floor. "Plus she is pretty" Soul anger was aroused again

"You cant have her. I told you she is _mine_!" The speaker tried to fly a punch at the redhaired but ended up swinging flabbily his arm and landing on the floor without achieving what he had wanted.

"Stubborn aren't you? You can barely keep your eyes open. Give it a rest, you're pathetic. " Soul cursed under his breath but stopped when he saw the other boy suddenly sprung and sit up properly. Maka entered carrying two plates and left it on the table.

Not liking the thought of his partner to see him so powerless and unsightly, Soul tried to stand up and reach for her back. The back he had wanted so much to hug. The back that was now just in front of him within reach. Wobbling he managed to get as close as her shadow and staggering he tried to get a hold of her waist. However as his hands extended in eager want, he was repelled. Quickly Soul lost his balance and as his feet didn't have the sufficient strength to sustain his body, he ended up crashing on the floor. Hearing the big thump, Maka turned around and rapidly ran towards his partner.

"Damn it. Damn it! Damn it!" He couldn't touch her. He wanted to hug her so badly but he couldn't lay a finger on her. damn curse, damn love, damn…. Huh?

Maka was next to him, her hand on his back

HUH?

………..

"So basically, you were cursed and so you can't touch me but I can touch you…?"

"Uhum.." Soul answered positively with his face shoved on the plate. Eating.

"Soul! You are not telling me everything!" Maka banged the table with her fist and the spoon that had been lying on it rattled,

Dang she was sharp.

The boy hid the stupid grin that just crossed his face behind his plate. Here he was, with the most horrible and frustrating curse upon him but he couldn't care less once he had heard her speak. He was amazed with himself of how much he had missed her yapping. He had missed her voice.

"That's all I know myself.." He lied, faking an annoyed frown and uncomfortably peeking at Genn who seemed to see right through him.

"Well, it doesn't do much help" His partner complained without really noticing the obvious guilty gesture

"I thought since you were so smart, you could tell me how to get rid of it…"

The red haired who hadn't said a word gave him an amused look; Soul quickly added

"It's … just inconvenient! Yes! Terribly inconvenient for battle."

"I didn't say it wasn't. How obvious can you get?" Genn chuckled, irritating the other male, who left his plate and stood with the very intention of starting a fight. Maka sent him to the floor with a single move. Chop.

He had missed that too.

"Why is he here anyways…?" The victim asked groveling on the floor.

"Soul. He is a good guy." Was the only thing his partner said after tucking the book back from wherever it came.

"I don't like him" he insisted

"I don't like you either. I only came because of _her_." Genn said tilting his head towards Maka's direction.

"I bet you are just waiting for the chance to…."

"Soul!" Maka hissed threateningly "You are being childish"

"But he …"

"Focus on the problem. Please"

"huh? Oh yeah, that…Uh, what do you suggest we do?"

"I have an idea" The meister said. The other two just waited for her to finish her sentence. "Let's go take a look at the public land of information"

"And what in shinigami's name is that horrible sounding thing?" Soul inquired. Maka only grinned.

"The library"

…………

The afternoon was blue. There were no clouds in the sky. Spotless, clean, perfect.

Maka was resting her head on his shoulder.

In fact, Soul and Maka weren't the only ones sharing the large back bunk of the bus. The three of them, including Genn were on the bus together heading off to the library. Soul was currently the only one awake and was the one occupying the window seat, while Maka was in the middle with Genn on the other free side of her; both snoozing. The red haired was sleeping with his head back in such a fashionable manner that Soul clicked his tongue at the sight murmuring something that seemed to say 'show-off' under his breath. But then again the unpleasant sight was soon forgotten when he realized once again that…

Maka was resting her head on his shoulder.

Without being totally conscious of his actions, he found his hand moving nearer to her face. He stilled. He couldn't do that, he couldn't touch her and the single intention of it would cause the repelling action, waking her up. Soul curled his fingers in the air. This was so unfair. Here she was, sleeping blissfully while she was also at the same time unaware of how much he was suffering from the deprivation of not being able to caress her. It was unfair. That he had to just satisfy himself with her small gestures and graze of her skin from time to time. He would have become insane if it hadn't been for the fact that she could convey him with that little relief, at least. As little it may be, it was a blessing still.

As if reading his wish through her dreams, Maka snuggled herself further up to his neck. Soul could feel her breathing on his skin. It felt cool; he shivered. His hand still hung helplessly on the air, as if hoping to catch her sweet scent. He looked away.

Ugh, this was torture.

The feeling of his blood rushing his face and forming a small blush was almost making him feel dizzy; was this what they called having butterflies in the stomach? He clasped the hand that had been resting on the window frame on his eyes. He was being such a girl…

Through his fingers gap, he took a peek at the other boy to make sure he was asleep. Safe.

His eyes turned towards his partner's peaceful face again and saw how the wind made itself a way to play with her hair, clearing some few strands away from her forehead. Great. Now he was jealous of the stupid wind. He felt Maka slightly shiver and he closed the window for her.

The idiot didn't have any idea of how worried he had been. He hadn't even ate properly because he had been so busy checking out the window, opening the door countless of times at the slightest sound, and trying to think of a way to save her. And then she had just waltzed in as if nothing, and the next thing he knew was that they were taking the bus because she had said that he was too weak to ride his bike.

Idiot.

He loved this idiot.

He was the idiot.

He was such a useless guy.

"Are we there yet?"

Soul felt his heart jump. Maka had woke up and was sobbing her eyes to get rid of the sleepiness.

"Uh.. yeah.. "

"Oh, that's our stop. Let's go." She signaled after shaking the other boy awake and walked to the bus' automatic door "Soul?"

"I'm going"

The warmth of her body hadn't left his shoulder.

…………….

"Nothing. Nothing. NOTHING!" Maka yelled almost tearing off her pigtails from pure frustration. "There is nothing about curse breaking. Only small fragments of wavelength application to it and unrelated resonance…. Gibberish!"

"Oi… Calm down…" from the other side of the gigantic pile of books, Soul tried to tranquilize her partner

"This.. This… This is inconceivable! Unforgivable!" The girl stomped through the hard covers and flopped next to her partner with her hands on her head "What use is a library when you cant find the information you are searching for?"

"Oi. We at least found out that curses worsen with time…"

"Don't say that so.. so… easily! Where is the… cure? The answer? Books are supposed to give you the answer!" Maka voiced almost sounded as if it was being drowned by despair.

"You are just stressed"

"You just don't understand that… Where is Genn?" Finally taking consciousness that the other boy was nowhere to be seen, she wondered

"Bathroom" he said "I hope he gets stuck on the …"

"SOUL!"

"Yeah. Sorry"

Maka sighed. The technician gathered her knees to her chest and braced them to let her head fall on them. She sighed again and said in a low voice

"Arent you …"

"What?"

"Nothing"

"Nothing is nothing. What?"

"Well…" She watched how her two fingers met, "aren't you worried,… I mean, about the curse…"

Silence.

"Ah" was all he said for the moment. He couldn't tell her that it did. A lot. He knew her enough to know she would feel worse. He couldn't tell her that it was because he …. No. he wouldn't tell her like this. Not in this kind of situation.

Soul stood up. He wanted to pat her head. But he knew that even this small pleasure had been denied from him. He hardened his heart.

"I'll be fine" He had to be fine. For her.

…………….

"Genn" An unfamiliarly weak voice called out his name. No, it was not unfamiliar, he just didn't recall it was this weak "Brother…"

He glanced up to see where the voice had come from. There was Halle, her light red hair swaying on the air under the sun. The girl looked almost hazy, as if she would fade anytime. Genn noted that the transparency of her body had been worsening day by day. She still wore a simple white dress. White… the color of emptiness…

"Sister"

"You didn't forget me…" she said in monotone. Expression, one of the human traits had left her due to having lived as a ghost so much time. Genn felt a pang of pity and pain.

"No, I would never."

The girl stepped down from the air she had been standing on. The twin on the land received her and embraced her with his arms. Genn reached for his voice and softly repeated

"Never"

It was like chains binding his soul.

**END**

…………………**.**

**Author notes:**

SORRY!!!! Sorry. Sorry. Sorry.!!!

If you hate me even after I apologized, shoot me now (blindfolds herself).

Haaha it took me forever to update…. Maybe you don't even remember what the story is about? Haha, I hope not.

The pathetic excuse: It was because of mental blockage and lack of creativity. Believe me, it was VERY frustrating for me (I bet it was for you too. I know waiting is hard…). I sat in front of my computer and opened the archive like dozen times but couldn't write a single thing. Sorry again.

The plea: But I hope you liked the chap…. Not much action here. Passive… but for some strange reason I cant consider this as a filler. Please give me your opinion

The promise I think I can keep: I'll try to update faster. Really. Only if you review XP

For **Inoue-hime**: Thanks for your persistence and care. That's what kind a triggered my sense of duty toward you, readers. I don't hate you but I suggest you enable your private messaging. I wanted to tell you sooner to not worry…. Anyways I hope the chap was ok for you.

(now click here)

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	7. Touch 7

**Chapter 7: Let the heart fear, and so the soul will tremble**

Curses worsen with time.

They always do, they always will. That was the irrefutable reality. The question was in what way and how.

Soul couldn't sleep; his mind was full. He rolled onto the edge of his bed towards the window that was bathed with moonlight and watched the stars disappear beneath the ominous clouds.

He scowled to himself annoyed. Normally the term 'worsen' would only refer to heritage. Curses being passed to the next generation and the next after it and so on. However he knew this was not his case. If his curse consisted on deprivation of physical contact then did that meant it would worsen in a way that she wouldn't be able to touch him either? That would be the logical answer. He decided to skip it.

Then the next question was: Did it have some sort of _catalyst_? Something that sped the curse's worsening?

Suddenly he felt his feet go cold.

What was it? His feelings or…_ her_ touching _him_? If it was his feelings, he decided he could do nothing about it. The few past days he had learnt that it was useless to forcibly stop them. They were…. _Overflowing_. He savored the word on his mind. Yes, overflowing. Unstoppable like a flood. Drowning him in a sadistically yet pleasant way. He could not stop them with his mind. There were things that the heart understood but the mind didn't. Or was it like that…? The boy frowned. He was getting off the main point; he had been doing that quite a lot nowadays. He chuckled under his breath. Maybe it was her influence. Idiocy was contagious after all.

Soul pressed his eyes hard and tried to concentrate again.

However, if the catalyst was the number of times she touched him… then maybe there was a way out. A way to stop the curse's development. But that would mean, once again, not feeling her.

Soul gave a slight groan and rubbed his head. This was so infuriating in a sense. It was like walking in circles …

He weighted the possibilities. If he managed to slow the pace of the curse, there would be time for lifting it. If that could be achieved, he decided he could bear _anything_. He would sacrifice little to quench forever.

Even if that meant not feeling her warmth for a while more.

…………………

"He is avoiding me" The dish and the sponge Genn had been holding on each hand slipped slightly as he looked at the couch where Maka was lying, depressed.

"What?"

"I said he is avoiding me" The plates made a clicking sound as Genn returned his view to them. The girl has said it as a fact and not a question. Genn mused at the thought that she was quite confident with pretty much everything.

"Why do you say that?"

"He…" she curled herself into a ball "He used to sit next to me…"

"Is that all?" Maka hurled herself impassively at the indifference she perceived in Genn's voice

"…That…!" but her head was cast down immediately as she found no more words "that's… all"

Genn sighed and cleaned his wet hands through the dry towel that hung on the kitchen's door

"Where is he now?"

"He.. said he was going to the library… again. It's already the fifth time and he said he didn't need me…"

The red haired boy sat next to the meister and slipped his arm on her shoulders. He felt her relax under his touch.

_Idiot…_ he thought. He knew that that Soul Eater was already to the point to be desperate to try anything. But no matter how much he wanted to break the curse, the foolish boy shouldn't have let his meister unprotected of … _him_. It was inexcusable. _He_ was the dangerous one, and yet they had let him in only after a single after thought. Her trust was what had let him near her, what made it easy to make them fall. He knew that was the same pure trust he was going to have to treason. He knew he was despicable.

Genn subtly smelled Maka's scent; she smelled like vanilla. At the thought, he grew frustrated with himself.

He knew he should not love. However before she noticed his true self, he wanted to at least be some use of comfort. It had been already a week since he had joined them; or tagged along. And he had consoled Maka on every little fight she had had with her partner. Seriously, he was turning into some kind of a counselor or something.

"I think he is a moron for leaving such a smart lady like you here" Genn commented casually

"and I think you are a bad liar" she grumbled

"a very gentlemanly liar, you mean" Maka finally chuckled, Genn cocked his head to a side; to him, it had sounded more like pearls falling to water. _A beautiful, clear sound…_

"You somehow always seem to make me feel better…" Genn felt his heart break into two at the innocent compliment but didn't cast his head down in shame. He couldn't. He _shouldn'_t feel ashamed. This was all for his sister "… you are really good friend"

"…"

"Genn?"

"Is he… Soul, a good friend too?" The mesiter looked puzzled and Genn felt his body give a sigh of selfish relief. Good. She still didn't understand her own feelings…

"he is a.. an… ok.. partner… I guess.."

"Right" Inevitably, silence followed.

"…I miss him" The sentence was said with such a mismatched determination and impromptu that caught the boy off guard. He gave a involuntary wince that was not noticed by the girl, who merely gave him a pleasant smile and stood up.

"Thanks. I feel better" she ran to the door almost expectantly as if the sad feelings she had been experiencing had faded into thin air. She opened the door "I'm going after Soul"

Genn felt his soul sink ; she had slipped right through his fingertips, again. It was like trying to catch air. A faithful partner… which he never had. A person who had smiled at him so thankfully, who he had never met before. The only person he had let to meddle with his life had been his sister. Yet now here was _her,_ unknowingly playing with his heart.

To be sincere, he wanted her only for himself. Envy began eating away his soul alive, but he didnt even flinch nor did he tried to stop the girl as she confidently skipped the steps in hurry to see her partner.

He looked at the shut door.

_Don't go…_

He said nothing.

_Don't go… please.._

He was no one to say anything.

_please stay by my side…_

……………

**Twentieth mission: Sleepy-hollow, the headless horse man **

"We are not leaving ol' good Bessy!!" Maka rolled her eyes,

"You gave her a name?!"

"She is my daughter!" Soul replied defensively bracing his bike; the technician pointed the motorcycle with her index finger almost accusingly

"_That_, wont carry three people. We have to walk…"

"Who says _he_ has to go" Soul said pointing with head at the human with red hair, who simply shrugged; he was tired of them fighting.

"Maka, leave the sucker alone, I have a better idea…" Suddenly Genn transformed into his weapon form ,leaving the pair astonished.

"You are a frigging _bike_?!" The scythe gaped seeing in front of him a very cool red motorcycle with black and silver complementary spaces, thick coal black wheels, shining metallic parts and ready to go full speed; old bessy looked like trash compared to the new vehicle.

"I'll give you a ride Maka. Let Soul take his."

"Wow." The tech jumped over the bike willfully "But I don't know how to…"

"I'll take care of that"

"Maka, don't… just step down from that junk… That's ..that's just _perverted_!!!"

"Soul, you're reading too much into it…" and with that and a innocent chuckle she took off, leaving the poor soul alone with his own bike

"Hey!!!" The left up boy gritted his teeth and hastily chased the two who were already meters ahead of him. After passing a few pair of blocks, abruptly, he kicked the breaks. Maka and Genn had stopped too and were facing a gigantic white horse and a headless rider (wow really?) who yawned only in sound

" Give… Give me my head back… my head…" The horseman yanked the reins and the horse instantly let out a horrendous shriek. It quickly galloped right through the three teens, ignoring them completely.

"Should we chase him?" Genn asked with his lights blinking. He saw Maka eyes glint with determination and felt her grip the handles

"Let's get going. Soul, keep up." The boy opened his mouth to protest but instead smirked; what was_ he_, to disobey the command of his meister? Maka turned the bike/Genn and chased the madly running horse which seemed to head off to no direction at all

"Speed up!" Genn gladly obeyed the request and soon caught up with the horseman who suddenly hurled the animal to the attackers, trying to knock them out with it's hoofs

"It hurts… My head… I cant sleep because I cant dream…I want to sleep forever" the kishin cried in a ghastly voice

"What nonsense is he saying?" Maka shouted over the mad horse screeching

"Dunno but I'm pretty sure it's nothing important…" the girl looked at the side mirror and saw sleepy hollow approaching,

"We cant run over him because of it's size… I'm sorry but I'll have to go with Soul after all…"

"What…?"

Before the boy could say a word more, the horse was already over them, kicking the air fiercely. Maka threw herself to the ground, kicking the weapon safe, before landing, and rolled over professionally. Genn turned to his human-self again and watched from afar how she extended her hand and Soul transformed immediately after drifting next to her.

"Took you long enough" The scythe sneered from his meister's hand

"We'll talk after you get your meal"

The partners launched themselves to their prey, which simply shook them off with a double back kick.

"Ughh.. why are all them so big? And this one doesn't seem slower either because of that stupid horse."

"I'm empty… it hurts… Me, I hate myself… I don't want to die.. Give me my head… give me reason…"

"It's… It's crying" Soul murmured as Maka avoided another ferocious kick

"I cant hear anything.. that horse is screaming too much"

"monster… it hurts so much… the void.. I need to fill the void… I need to…" Sleepy hollow _looked_ at Soul hungrily "…I need to… kill."

The weapon felt his soul go numb with terror. The kishin obviously had no face nor head, yet the feeling that it gave off was terrifying; it reeked of blood-thirst

"Maka… RUN!"

"..huh..?"

The cape the horseman had been wearing fluttered in the air free as he forcibly pushed the tied animal towards the pair

"What's.. what's happening?" Maka asked breathing heavily as she hid herself behind a building.

"That thing…"

"Hey"

"Genn!!" The tech jumped surprised as the boy appeared "You ok?"

"Yeah. Thanks for the kick. Saved my life"

Maka was about to answer when the wall broke brusquely, separating the pair and Genn once again. Sleepy hollow was already upon them and Maka lay with her ankle twisted badly between the chipped rocks. Soul turned back into human and stood between them as he had done countless of times before. Only that this time, he couldn't carry her off to a safe place.

"Don't you dare to take a step…" he threatened but the headless kishin came down from his horse without heeding at the boy's command

"I said back off!" Soul snarled but it was useless. The horseman kept walking towards them. Soul looked around franticly. Where was the other idiot when he was needed? His thoughts dispersed when he felt a rough hand yank him by his collar forcing him to face the head that was not there_. Careless…_ He had been careless…

"You…" was all the kishin said with a deep, low voice

"What?" the boy snapped. Good. The demon wasn't after Maka. It was after _him_.

"Your eyes are like mine…" Soul struggled in the air. Although the night was mildly temperate, cold sweat travelled his neck. His feet could not feel the floor.

"You don't… have eyes you stupid kish…"

"Your soul is like mine…" The voice cut him off deeply. Soul felt his strength leave him and his heartbeat freeze. There was something awfully wrong in the demon's voice. It sounded…

"You.."

"You are a monster… Like me."

……it sounded like _him_.

He had forgotten he too, was a monster. He had forgotten he carried one.

Ignoring the ache, Maka gave a swift hard kick with the back of her foot, aiming directly at the kishin's ribs, making it only to stumble but efficiently dropping Soul.

"Get a hold of yourself! Look!" The technician pointed upwards and Soul dumbly followed with his eyes where she signaled.

At the top of the clock tower, Halle was singing.

**End of chap**

……………….

AN:

Thanks to all who reviewed my last chapter!!! I hope this one was understandable too…

If there are any questions, feel free to ask!!!

**Reviews are sugar… they hype me up and make me write.. plus I love them (I love sweets). Give me some~


	8. Touch 8

**AN:** Ok…Just before you start reading: _Cursive _are thoughts, emphasis on words or flashbacks

……………

**Chapter 8:** **Let a heart be full of emotion and a soul full of dignity.**

_We met at night. _

"_Call me Soul." You said without even bothering to turn around._

_I knew you were angry about something. Now that I think about it, it must have been because you had just recently left your father's home. I didn't know that. But your eyes had a hating look, as if you had put all the blame on me. On the me who didn't have a clue._

"_So you are the rumored Halle Paynd. Top student, I hear." You said added. And finally decided to turn around, just to test the wavelength synchronization. _

"_Oh." You muttered next, I flinched at your voice, yet I said nothing. Your voice was filled with disappointment. You merely smirked as if you had found some kind of unpleasant irony within me, "You're the same as me…" _

_I looked up to you but… I still remember. You never looked at me. You simply weren't interested._

_You passed me without a glance but instead you caught a strand of my hair between your fingers and said,_

"…_Like a bloody rose full of thorns"_

_I was only a ghost from the start._

………..

"…Like a bloody rose full of thorns"

She descended from the clock tower and arrived smoothly to the ground with a light tap.

"now you control kishins?" Soul asked, still rubbing the sore spot in his neck. She shrugged,

"Not really. Is more like I make them…."

The girl made a clicking sound with two of her fingers and the kishin immediately kneeled down beside his master. The girl hit it's chest and a hollow clang echoed behind the armor. "But you see, I forgot to give him a heart. Although, it seems that he foolishly craves for one. He calls it a 'head' though.."

"..just like the tin man in the wizard of oz…" Maka gasped as she surfaced behind Soul. Halle nodded in agreement.

"Just like the tin man."

"How can he move then? How can he be_ alive_?" Soul asked dumbfounded,

"I see your habit of not listening to class has not broken off, Evans." As Halle expected, am angry 'tch' followed her commentary,

"Don't call me that." He hissed in serious and yet threatening tone. Halle ignored him and just kicked a little pebble that lay in her way.

"A heart, is something unnecessary…It's only function is to pump blood vessels, but the kishin does not understand that." She patted the silvery surface "But, the _soul,_ the soul has the ability to register emotion. Strangely enough though, the heart is what aches when the soul is hurt. So I have simply given him a blessing. "

"But it said it hurt…" Soul refuted, remembering what the kishin had screamed when it had attacked him. Halle replied back with a bored look on her face,

"… you have heard wrong"

"HE SAID IT HURT!!!" Soul roared with his head down. He remembered it's voice, it's shaking, it's_ despair_. He knew how it felt. At the memory of his past, his hand curved into a solid fist in an attempt to contain his anger. Halle merely snickered at his pain.

"Don't think you understand it, Soul. He is not_ you_." She said victoriously "He is_ better_ than a monster who has a heart but slaughters souls like mine. But if he actually said that…"

Halle extended her hand towards the center of the armor and the pair watched how it sunk in. She retrieved the glittering soul and crushed it without a second thought with her hand. The ripped bits of it fell on the stone floor, lifeless.

"…then he is a failure. It was _weak_."

Crimson eyes quivered.

Maka raised her head towards her partner, only to find her partner's eyes darken.

"Soul?"

…_Like a bloody rose…_

………………………..

XXX SOUL EATER XXX

………………………..

"I'm sorry" he spurted in a whisper inadvertently, breaking the small pause that had followed their conversation. The apology was directed to the broken soul and it's master.

Nerve the less, Halle winced at the words. Those words she would have been willing to listen for countless of times before her death. Those _meaningless_ words…

"There is no need to apologize.. Like you said, I was merely weak"

"No, that's.."

".. You are apologizing out of pure convenience. Just because you find yourself in a difficult situation! " She shouted at him accusingly, shutting her eyes, hoping it would help her not to waver.

"Halle…"

"I wont believe you… not again." She glared at the boy with his head tucked down and then rapidly stole the confused meister's attention, "He didn't tell you anything didn't he?"

"No.." The injured girl muttered. Halle's lips tugged into a smirk.

"Then I'll explain it to you. Your dear partner…"

"..but I can imagine." Maka cut short.

"What?" The ghost asked surprised. Soul also looked at his partner, "You cant possibly know that …"

"What I know is that he is an idiot, so he must have done some big idiocies before."

"Hey…!" Soul attempted to complain, offended. But his partner continued,

"And he is such an idiot that he doesn't even know how to lie. When he said he was sorry, I know he meant it Halle.. And since I'm an idiot too… I don't care about the things he might have done."

"What do you mean?" Halle hissed dangerously while Maka simply hopped onto a side, getting away from the other two and trying to support her body only with her left foot. Her right ankle's wound had swelled even more than before.

"I don't need to know the details of what happened before I met him. His family background, his mistakes, his_ past_. What matters is that he is my partner now and I know who he is. But, since that's a problem between you two, I'll just stay back."

"Oh?"

The girl limply walked towards the nearest wall to find something to lean on and gave her doubting partner an encouraging smile.

" 'I'll wait a shinigami's life if I have to'... I dont have a choice, do I?"

The boy looked at his partner. He opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. He looked at her again.

Although she was grinning, her only uninjured foot was barely holding her. He could see that she was at the verge of collapsing, that there were sweat beads on her pale face indicating her pain, yet she was supporting _him_ . The person who had failed to protect her and instead had dragged her into this mess. Her eyes remained strong as always. That strength drove him.

_What a idiotic and childish grin,_ he thought, _Always recklessly, trusting blindly_.

Unconsciously, he found himself smirking. He couldn't let her look cooler than he.

"Ah, you bet." Confidently, hands in pockets once again, he stepped forward to confront the girl of his past, maybe for the first time. "Let's settle this,_ Paynd_"

"Let's." she repeated and sent the pair an hypocrite kind smile, "But just in case… Genn!"

As she snapped her fingers again, and as the clicking sound lost itself in the night, the male twin appeared next to Maka. His arm surrounding tightly her neck. Soul stopped, rage surfacing on his face.

"You bastard…!!!"

"Soul.._ let's_." The ghost kishin extended her had invitingly. Her smile didn't fade, but the moon had.

Pitch black like the start.

…………..

"_You love her"_

_Genn stopped glancing the full moon that had just soared to the sky and stared surprised at his sister._

"_How…" before he could ask, Halle interrupted with a half mocking, half pained grimace on her pale face._

"_You're cruel, you know that? Loving the girl that your own blood sister hates the most… well, after that guy.."_

"_..I'm sorry…" The female twin just lifted her head to the sky._

"_Genn, do you remember the story of the rabbit on the moon that I use to read you when were little?"_

"_Yeah…" He scratched the back of his head, "The rabbit offered to die and be the beggar's food to save him from hunger…" Halle drew a sigh and nodded_

"… _I knew that you loved her by the way you looked at her…" The long red strands of hair swayed with the air; she softly chuckled at her pathetic self, "I also had that look."_

…………

"Genn"

"..." The boy holding her captive didn't even bother to look at her. Maka fumed.

"You dare to ignore me..!!"

"…" She tried to take his arm off her neck, but he didn't budge.

"Ugh..Why are you doing this? You said you wanted to save your sister!"

"…I…"

"For god's sake Genn! Don't ignore me!" As she ran out of patience and grew uncomfortable at the traitor's embrace, she stomped his right foot with everything she had,

"Ouch! Maka!"

"And now you talk…" she murmured, still struggling to get rid of his arm, which hadn't let go of her even with the kick. She suddenly became still and she asked the so-expected and dreaded question she would have preferred to not ask, amidst weak whispering. "You..you planned to do _this_ from the start…?"

The red haired held her tighter. The girl realized that his hold was not rough nor hateful, but to the contrary, gentle. She sighed sadly. What kind of bad guy trembled when held his hostage captive? The meister felt him squeeze her harder. This time, she placed her hand softly on his arm.

Couldn't they simply return to the old days? Those days when silence was a pleasant companion instead of an awkward one. Those days when he consoled her, when he would smile at her kindly and rebuke Soul. Those days when he was a _friend_ that….

"We can't… return to those days Maka… They are long gone." He said as if he had read her mind. Even after the whole fight, she still possessed the soft coffee scent on her hair. He lowered his head and looked at the ground, hiding his head on her back. "We can't be friends anymore…"

"You said you wanted to save your sister…"

"I DO!" He shouted. He hadn't lied to her. He thought he could have bear to hear her voice drop in disappointment. He realized he couldn't. He hated to lie to those clear eyes. "I do, but…"

"You thought you would do so by helping her_ revenge_?"

"I…"

"The only thing revenge achieves is to empty the soul and…"

"She didn't have much to start either, Maka! And now, She doesn't have anything more… My sister has nothing to lose and neither do I…" he spat

"Genn…"

Genn's lips suddenly caressed Maka's neck. She felt a shiver down her spine and in a reflex she sent him a blow with the back of her elbow straight to his gut. He finally released her and fell on the ground on his knees.

"Ouch... you always do that, you know.." He said partly amused but showing slight signs of pain,

"What were you doing…?!" He crouched even more. It wasn't the ache of his stomach, it was his heart that he felt contract and wheeze at her bewildered voice. He opened his mouth but only managed to whisper the words he had hoped he would never say,

"I love you." He stood, tugged her towards him and his lips landed on hers.

………

Soul felt her arms make a path to his chest. They were cold. _Freezing_. Like a dead woman's.

"Ummm? You wont resist like you usually do?"

He snorted.

"Only this time."

"… Is it pity or guilt?"

"It's neither." The grey eyes wondered around the sky,

"Your new partner is pretty stupid, letting you go like this." She chuckled and snuggled herself closer to Soul's neck, like an innocent child. "Maybe she doesn't want you anymore?"

"…"

"No answer?"

"..I came to say I'm sorry" Her playful tone silenced and her expression turn into nothingness at the sound of the last word.

"..You have already said that accursed word before." She spat.

"But you didn't listen" he said shrugging,

"I see… so you have come to seriously settle this. Not to apologize. I thought you were lying before." The ghost said with a disgusted expression.

Soul drew a deep breath and dug the past he had long buried,

"It wasn't my intention to go berserk. I just lost control of..of.."

"..of the demon within you?"

"Of my…_ power_." He corrected her with a sharp tone,

"You hated me."

"No, I hated _everyone_."

"You murdered me because I was like you." Her way of saying was curt and distant, but he could tell it somehow hurt her. It was _his_ fault.

"I was wrong. You were not like me. I learned that each one of us is just one soul of a kind. Even if our wavelengths were identical, you had a different frequency, a different _rhythm_. That includes your _annoying _brother. That's what …"

".._she_ taught you?!! You actually bought that disgusting cheesy line?" Halle usual nonchalant eyes suddenly blazed up with hate. Soul faced her straight from the corner of his crimson eyes, for the first time.

"Yes."

Halle felt herself flinch at his response. He had never done that before… Where had all that courage come from? From _her_ again? She felt her soul fill up with jealousy, her fist closing again in agony, but she said nothing until something caught her eye and a wicked smirk was formed again on her features,

"Then, you are the only one ugly here." She said in a sarcastic and sweet voice,

"What the -"

"You are still a monster, Soul. You can never escape it. Just break your rules, they were pathetic anyways. The truth is that you still hurt, no? I'll make you just like that tin man. Heartless. Free of pain. " The white haired boy ran his fingers through his messy hair. The strong wind of the night had been ruffling it way too much. He laughed,

"The same trick never works twice, Halle." Strangely, she didn't get agitated as he had expected,

"You are right, I'll have to change my methods." she calmly stated, her hand on his hair too. "I'll get right to the point and tell you what I think."

"…go on."

" I have been reflecting.. It's not that you want to live peacefully like a normal person. No… what you really wish is for power. Power to make something yours, because you have nothing. Your mismatched idea of not wanting it it's just because you are trying to run away."

"that's…!!!"

"What? Not true? Then why are you losing your cool?" Soul forcibly calmed himself down, satisfaction showed on the girl's features; she proceeded "It's just because of your inferiority complex towards your brother, towards _everything_, that you choose to be a coward and not face what you desire. You are afraid you may fail even after you try. You'll become like … your father."

"I'M NOT LIKE HIM!!!" Soul roared at the mention of the object of his hate. Halle ignored him and her flaming hair gently enveloped the boy's body.

"Because you know you are _weak_. But Soul… If you remain like that, things that are precious to you are going to be taken away by someone else…"

"What do you mean…"

"Umm… let's say it like this, then: In love and hate, there is always envy involved. But there is a thin line separating both. What do you think the line is called?"

"What?" She smiled.

"_Insanity_"

The girl yanked his hair towards the other pair. The crimson-blood eyes widened as he saw how Genn kissed his meister's lips.

_Don't touch so easily what I couldn't touch for such a long time…_

The dark thought floated in his consciousness. Halle softly whispered to his ear,

"She is yours isn't she?"

His mind went blank.

_Dont touch her… _

Like a nightmare, a demon woke up. His surroundings began to crackle as he began to lose himself.

"Get her. "

_And the demon went to claim what was his._

**End**

………………..

**AN:  
**

**I'm sorry about the delay, but for those who have not read my profile, I got my right hand hurt, so I couldn't really type for a while. Sorry…**

**I hope you enjoyed the whole chapter, although it got a bit cheesy…? I dunno. Tell me what you think about it…**

**Well, don't kill me because of the GennxMaka kiss…**

**And don't forget to review!!**

**PS. Previous reviews were really sweet . Thanks a lot. Now I have a toothache so I decided to change reviews into to sugar-free bubble gums. Feed me~  
**


	9. Touch 6 & a quarter

**Touch 6 & ¼ : Let there be a Gentle touch.**

75% is the most that a person can communicate to another with words. A mere 75%.

Maka flopped herself on her back, the beige couch sinking slightly at the new weight. She peeked out her new book and saw how a petite sparrow made itself way to the window frame.

_75%._

She wondered. So what about the missing 25%? Did it not exist? Would no one, _ever,_ going to understand the other completely? Would there never be a 100%?

Her forehead wrinkled into a small frown of annoyance, and her fingers kept flapping the pages, in search of a solution to her question. She didn't like it. Absolutely not.

After a while, the meister found out finally that the worn out book paper didn't hold her answer. With a weary sigh, she placed the hardcover on the table and saw the little bird leave to the blue sky.

_25%._

She shook her head lightly to try to shake off the puzzling feeling that bubbled in her stomach and rose from the comfortable seat to grab for herself a cup of coffee. When she was about to reach the kitchen, she halted in front of an opened door: Soul's.

Her partner lay sleeping on the floor. Maka tried calling his name a couple of times from the distance but only managed to get a few groans as a response. She left it at that, they had been having tiring days after all. She grabbed the door's side to close it when she stopped again.

_75%._

After making up her mind, she carefully walked towards the snoozing boy and crouched near him. She poked him on his cheek a few times to make sure he wouldn't wake up and once verified, her emerald eyes softened a bit as she simply watched him sleep.

He was _so _different to her. Really. She pinched his cheeks just barely so he wouldn't notice. She chuckled. He was insensitive, indifferent to many things, lazy, unsociable, reserved, didn't smile, but smirked, didn't seem to think, had a weird sense of pride and could play the piano. He was such a stubborn guy, too; just like her. A perfect match. She began smiling at herself.

Gently she traced his eyebrows and tried to feel his eyelashes with her finger. Her hand stroke his silver-like hair and paused there to admire his sharp teeth that showed slightly when he opened his mouth to breathe.

_25%._

As if drawn to him, she inclined her body even more and put her strands of hair behind her ear. She gave him a light kiss on his lips.

When she realized what she had just done, she gasped and clamped her hands on her own lips. Blushing, she wondered why had she just done that. Her first kiss…

She looked at Soul afraid that he may wake up and catch her guilty, but the boy didn't and Maka sighed in relief. Seriously, what was she _doing?_ She looked at the mirror which faced her from the other side of the room and suppressed a squeal as she saw a wide, idiotic grin spread across her face. She hit herself with her own book, slapped both of her cheeks as hard and silently as she could and tried to force her face muscles to relax.

She made her legs work and stood up as quietly as possible to slip away from the room. She looked back before closing the door again as a small thought crossed her mind.

_75% and 25%._

Her face had reverted back to her original color. As the old curiosity crawled tickling her senses, she found herself wondering again.

Maybe, just maybe, it was a 25% of physical touch?

To work better together, to help each other when they needed, to know one another, to _understand_ one another wholly. Not only a 75% of words but a 25% of gesture.

That would explain why people intertwined their fingers. It was to know that there was someone next to them who would rescue them.

Why they would _hug_. It was to feel each other's heart closer.

Why did they _kiss_, maybe it was to have a taste of the other's soul?

Just like she had done? She felt a sense of pride rise in her as she reflected that she finally understood a little about this _ineffable feeling of affection _thingy.

A 25% of gentle touch? Why not?

Maka wondered with a smile.

_100%._

She felt a tiny skip on her heart as she mouthed goodnight to Soul.

She closed the door and stirred a cup of coffee.

Yes, they still had a time of 100 souls to get to that 100%.

………………………………

AN: One-shot completed!!!! I'm not entirely sure about where I read the 75% thingy, so maybe (really maybe), it could be wrong. If it is, I apologize in advance. But I'm pretty sure it's accurate. Though I don't want to urge you too much to trust this _terrible _memory of mine ("Why is my brush on the refrigerator?").

As you see, this little chapter happened before chap 8 actually happened. I hope you enjoyed a bit of sweetness.

So… Review my writing, review me.


	10. Touch 9

**AN:** _Cursive _are thoughts, emphasis on words or flashbacks

If you want to understand the story completely read: 'Rabbit on the moon:

http:// en. wikipedia .org/wiki/Moon_rabbit

……………………..

**Chapter 9: Let my heart come in touch with your soul**

"_I think I know why the rabbit offered itself to be the beggar's food.."_

"… _Tell me…"_

"_It must have loved the human."_

"_What a dumb rabbit.."_

"_Yeah… such a dumb rabbit."_

……………………..

"_Black or White?"_

The voice that threw the question onto him was eerie, but it matched well with the gloomy grey room; Not black nor white, just plain grey. Soul loosened the cloth he wore around his neck and glanced at the faded walls that surrounded him. He knew where he was.

He was in 'The Grey Room'.

The same grey room in which he had always been hiding for all his life. In cases like this, his body would act on it's own, as if he were truly possessed by a demon. He smirked, amused by his own thoughts. Or maybe he _was_ the demon. He listened to the noise.

This time, the room was not flooded with indefinite and distortional noise as the time that Halle had infected his mind; it was the total opposite, the only thing that his ears could hear was his clear music. His sickening, greedy music that paced itself nonstop into a velocity that made his reasoning break into madness. The odious music that he had brought back with the help of his meister. This _thing_, was what currently filled his room. This _thing,_ was what currently haunted and taunted him. This_ thing _was now 'the noise'.

"_Black or white?"_

The voice of his consciousness asked him again the question he had asked himself before countless of times, every time a chance of dreaming presented itself in his life. Always, since the time he had seen his father go mad and his mother hold tighter the hand of his brother, he had asked for white.

Because white was _safe_. White was clear.

The un-pigmented color permitted him to see reality as it was: that his world was, indeed, empty. It led him into a secure mental state in which he would not expect, and so, he would not get hurt. Hope, dreams and faith were cast away. Uncertainty could not find him there.

However, today was different.

He traced his fingers over the piano that stood next to him, playing alone his song of insanity and when his hand arrived to it's corner, he paused to gently close the lid. The black shoes squeaked slightly as he climbed on the top of the resonating instrument and he bent his knees to crouch, once he was on the top; his trembling hands slipped over his head to cover his ears, pressing them so hard that his nerves went numb from the force. This would be the last place that darkness would drown, but would drown anyways. Very carefully, and stiffly, his dry lips whispered:

"Black."

At his command, the dim lights went off, black closing off the room. The darkness that did not let him see anything that filled him with fear, the darkness that promised him something unknown, was now, dominating his soul.

It was like trying to see the future. Nothing was clear, nothing was decided, therefore, there was hope.

It was because night had come, that he could wait for a star to light on.

……………………..

"Genn, what do you think you are doing!?" Maka cried as she broke the kiss and pushed Genn from her forcibly; the weapon landed on the floor again swept by the sudden momentum.

"Really I would prefer a slap…"

"Why are you doing this?!" She asked again, shaken by his actions. Genn merely shrugged as he repeated himself casually,

"'Cause I love-"

"I heard you! "

Ignoring their surroundings and what was happening around them, the pair just stilled their breaths awaiting for one of them to say something once more. Genn sighed. He knew it was too late to take it back. He had broken the time they had passed together into bits smaller than dust.

"You… Why cant you accept me…?" He looked away, scared of her answer, though he knew wholly what it was; she kept her emerald eyes still on him. He could feel them as if she was looking straight through his soul.

"You are not for me."

"And _he_… he is for you?" he asked, his voice cracking.

"He needs me…"

"_I_ need you! Why do you only look at him?"

_He _was the one who spent lonely days without a partner. _He_ was the one who consoled her when she was down. _He_ was the one that had suffered painful losses and had to strived and battled alone. _He_ was the one who needed her cheerful smile the most… He only wanted her to be by his side.

"Would you be satisfied with my_ pity_?"

He met her gaze, her eyes always unwavering eyes. He loved those emerald eyes and he knew that she did look at him, that she did care about him. But her soul belonged to another and he understood that he could not change that dreaded fact. But nevertheless, he didn't want to believe that her heart was unchanging.

"Why cant it not be me….?"

"…I-"

A sudden explosion distracted both from their conversation, and they saw the white haired taking heavy steps towards them, turning to dust everything he crossed path with as if his soul were sending powerful sound waves through a circular space. His eyes had lost its light and its iris was that of madness; his consciousness had been trapped by insanity and was nowhere near to be brought back. Genn quickly stood up in front of Maka in a protective manner, but she pushed him back gently with her arm and sighed.

"Here he comes on a rampage again… Geez, we really are a pair of troublemakers." She chuckled despite the sore pain she felt on her limbs and patted Genn's hair before taking another step towards the wild boy who craved for her soul. "Your hair is the same color as my papa's, you know. And that's why we cannot be…"

"What?! No!"

" That's a joke, of course." She said turning her back on him and smiling sweetly at the memories that she had passed together with the red haired; they were overflowing. " Soul…He probably cant control himself and at this rate he'll end up blowing up everything around here…" She pointed at a pile of rubble. "Maybe you need me, but there is someone who needs you more. You have something more important than me to protect, don't you? I have something to protect myself."

Genn's eyes suddenly caught at the distance, behind the dangerously approaching boy, the image of his sister laying on the ground unconscious. He bit his lip and whipped his face back at the meister.

"No. You cant possibly think of letting him get you! He is going to break your wavelength like he did with my sister as soon as he comes in contact with you!" he cried bewildered. He tried to sweep her off her feet but she swiftly avoided his touch.

"Genn, I… I use to not believe in …love…Papa and mama didn't really have a nice relationship but… now I think I understand…"

"Maka, he is coming!" the male tried to budge her from where she was, his voice pleading her, but she heed him not; although her knees were barely supporting her weight, her stand was firm.

"I was born for him, and he was born for me… " He stopped urging her to come with him.

There it stood, a little girl battered by the fight, stronger than anyone else he had met until now. She looked faraway; out of his reach to save. Courage was what guided her.

He finally accepted that she would bring her partner back. That she would not run away. That he was not the one she was looking at and would never do so. After hesitating a split second more, he clenched his teeth and let her free from his grasp and began running towards his sister, but halted for a moment to ask, but he did not dare to look back.

"You mean, you and he… _fate_?"

"No… "Maka shook her head softly and smiled to herself. " A miracle."

As Soul reached her arm, Genn shut his eyes to blind himself from his painful decision and to convince himself to not run back at her. Recalling for a last time the smile of the girl he loved, he took off to protect the one thing that was as lonely as he was, but who also suffered in the line of death and life. Instantly, everything became engulfed in a bright red light. The demon arrived to take what was his and she just surrendered herself to him.

"_Mine_…"

Through Maka's eyes, the sky began to break.

………….

"Sis! "

Halle groaned. Everything around her was bathed in a bloody light. She hated that color, she thought with a scowl… _Red_… what a sinful color.

"…Genn?" she muttered as she rose from the dusty ground and saw her brother's impatient face.

"We got to run away from here."

The troubled boy, lifted the petite girl while she rubbed her head.

"What happened to me…"

"I think you fainted when he released his wavelength suddenly. You must have remembered that day…"

"Where is he?" she asked searching for the one responsible who had weakened her heart.

"He is after Maka."

A hysteric laugh bubbled maliciously from her mouth, however Genn ignored it and simply hastened to find shelter. They had to pass through Soul if they wanted to reach the exit. The other side of the narrow path they stood on only showed a dead end.

"She'll die, she'll go through the same pain that I did…She is going to become like me." she crooned victoriously, savoring the triumph she had lingered for so much time.

"No" Genn said without looking at her, but searching eagerly for a safe way to the exit. Halle's anger rose.

"Are you betraying me?!"

"No, but she isn't weak. She'll bring him back." Halle snickered and her brother stared at her confused.

"You don't understand Genn. What's happening it's not just like what happened to me… It's worse."  
"What do you mean?" His feet froze at the place. They had passed the wild weapon unnoticed, but were still not far enough.

"Yes, he is going wild right now, throwing his wavelength to everywhere and breaking other's like last time but in this round, he is also breaking through the curse 's barrier forcibly." In spite of her own injury, she grinned wickedly "That means he is forcing himself into her: It's like someone trying to pass through a glass wall and smashing them into shards, making the person inside receive all the blows. Her body must be feeling as if it were in a blending machine by now."

"Cant we stop it?" he asked desperately, looking at where Maka was supposed to be, but a pair of unfinished buildings blocked his view.

"Stop it?! Why would I stop it?" Her fists hit her twin's chest in anger and frustration, "I suffered the same way didn't I? And no one came to save me. I died alone, and he didn't even care." Her face was sunk in sadness, but she stubbornly pulled back her tears. "Why… Why… am I always alone…?"

Genn eyes softened and hugged his sister dearly. She was so small, smaller than Maka, he noticed. Though she was not a human anymore, but a ghost kishin, she was yet fragile. The thought that maybe humans became ghosts because they missed their human feelings, crossed his head. A human was human after all.

" Since birth, I have always been next to you. I'll never abandon you."

"Liar! You… left me the moment you loved that girl.. I'll never forgive you." Despite the heavy words, Genn managed to crack a confident smile.

"As if." He said snorting. The female twin felt a warmth in her chest she had not felt for a long time. She had almost forgotten this feeling. The small joy made her face blush. Maybe… she could still feel happiness… Maybe she could start again…

"I really, really hate y- Watch out!"

A sudden electric shock hit the incomplete roof of one of the construction sites and threw a massive amount of steel poles over the twins. Soul's wavelength had expanded, and was now affecting the whole place they were in. The electricity was breaking everything that stood near him.

"GENN!?"

The weapon dropped his sister on the floor but stood on his knees, his arms on her body sides, his head looking at the floor while panting because of exhaustion. He had protected her. Tears began to blur the last image of her twin.

"No… why… what are you doing?"

His whole body trembled, and blood started to drip down his spine. One of the metallic poles had pierced all the way through his back to his chest; his panting grew rougher. With the little strength he had left, he wiped the demon's tears with his scrapped hands.

"You idiot..! Why did you protect me? I cant even die now… I'm not human anymore. Have you forgotten?!"

He barely held himself together to let his fingers tangle themselves with her crimson hair before they went numb. Now he understood why Maka had patted his head as a goodbye. Touch was the clearest memory one could have before throwing oneself to the unknown future. His grey eyes couldn't focus anymore, they became hazier by the passing of each second.

"As long as you cry.. you are human, Halle." He whispered lovingly. Yes, his dear sister was still human.

Halle's lips quivered and she hugged with trembling arms her dying brother as if begging him to not go, but the night came anyways, quickly and cruelly.

"You said that you wouldn't leave me… "

"I'm not. We have …always been one… and always…will" He breathed out wincing at the pain, but hugging her back. "I'm so sorry."

There was the typical light of a body fading along the chaos, and left only a single pure soul behind.

The last tear rolled down her cheek. Halle took the soul for her own, and they became one as the beginning of their lives.

…………….

"You are late"

Maka stepped out from the darkness, her long black dress sweeping the non-existent marble floor and bringing with her a silent light that illuminated the room in the form of a single candle.

"Well, well…Was little Soul afraid of darkness?" she asked, intending to tease him a little bit.

"Don't be silly. But I don't think_ anyone_ would like to be in the dark alone…"

"Why not?" The rhetorical question caught Soul by surprise.

"What?"

"I mean… it's kind of thrilling isn't it? To not know what's beyond what you cant see… It's like reading a book and don't knowing what's going to happen in the end!" The startled crimson eyes softened into a amused look. Really, this girl had a way to see things differently.

"Yeah… You could say that."

"Now let's see… I saved you back then in our first mission and from the noise and you saved me from that demon flautist, and the sleepy hollow." She said looking up, trying to recall everything that had happened so far and counting them on her fingers. "But I came to help you again, so the score is that of 3-2, then! I win!" she said with glee. Soul snickered and climbed down his black pedestal.

"Then I owe you a saving."

She smiled and he found it just as easy to smile at her back. The darkness lessened, but the music's volume kept increasing. Soul winced at the _forte_ of the song, and Maka looked at him with concerned eyes.

"Does it hurt?"

"No"

"You are lying."

"…"

She sighed and held his gloved hand. She traced her fingers on the elegant white cloth sadly. It was as if he had an armor on him, to prevent himself from feeling anything at all. Afraid of touch, afraid of living.

"Are you scared?"

"No" he said turning away from her.

"You are lying again…"

There was pause and the music entered into a more rapid pace. Soul's eyes suddenly widened at the remembrance of what had happened the last time he went berserk.

"Oh Shi-! Your body?! What happened to your body?!" He asked franticly, probing his meister's shoulders. "Are you ok?"

"I'm probably fried by now." She said laughingly and rubbing her head.

"Are you an idiot? You'll die if you don't keep yourself away from me!"

"I couldn't run. Remember? My ankle was busted and anyways, I'm here to bring you home." He glared at her.

"I don't have a home."

"I… don't know anything about your past. I don't even know what happened between you and your father." She said casting her eyes on the floor, afraid of the expression her partner could be making, "but I believe that your soul is not his. Your soul, belongs only to you. And I know that you have fought to come here."

" What are you talking about? No one wants someone like me. The thing you saved last time from that noise is this disgusting thing. This is me."

"It's beautiful."

"What?"

"Remember what I told you the first time I met you?" He blinked, she held his other hand near her hammering heart. "Beautiful… but painful"

"I.." he looked at her quite surprised and embarrassed, no words formed outside his mouth. "I… don't remember…" he lied, a small blush creeping on his normally tense features.

"How cute, a soul blushing. Now _that_ is a first." she said suppressing some chuckles.

"Shut up."

The music cringed as if it wanted attention and Soul snarled in response.

"No matter what you say.. It's still nasty…"

"Not if we play it cool." He arched a brow at her.

"Cool?"

"If we pace it, it'll turn out to be just nice."

"Pace it? How do we do that?" She gave him a mischievous grin and led his hand on her waist as she posed hers on his shoulder. His puzzlement only grew bigger.

"Shall we dance?"

……………

Nothing engulfed him.

Rubble, dust, rocks jagged and cracked concrete, were the only things that surrounded him. His crimson eyes travelled around absentmindedly, but before he searched anywhere else, he lifted his head and looked upwards, to the sky. The clouds have cleared as if heaven's curtains had picked themselves up revealing a starry sky. The moon had finally showed itself and shone in all its beauty and majesty.

He felt his senses come back to him and sensed a light weight on his hands: Maka's head rested quietly on his arms. He smiled, he could finally touch her.

"Oi Maka, sleeping time is over. We are back home." Soul whispered on her ear. "And it looks like we somehow managed to break the curse."

There wasn't any kind of response, and a unsettling feeling began to slip itself in his heart.

"Oi, flat-chest, wake up!" As he shook her lightly, but her arm limply fell by her side. He held her head and even his unsteady voice began to tumble even more. "Maka… This is not funny! Oi… If you don't wake up soon, I'm going to leave you behind like last time… Maka…" The weapon searched for her heartbeat, but there was no rhythm. The song was nowhere to be heard. A feeling of fear overpowered him and he began to caress her pale cheeks in search of the usual warmth and found nothing. "Please… Please or I'll…"

"It's futile."

He lifted his face and saw in front of him, his previous meister, her white dress fluttering with the cold wind and the moon behind her.

"What.. happened?" he asked shakily, fearing the answer. Halle paused for a few seconds before answering, lengthening the time of his despair.

It amused her that the positions between them were the same as the beginning of their story, he sitting on the pile of dead rubble and she standing on the thin air, but the roles had switched: Now his helpless gaze at her made her want to laugh. However somehow, she felt her soul cry at the sight. The always strong Soul Eater Evans, at her mercy, pleading to know what had happened.

"It's obvious, you broke her wavelength."

She watched how his gaze turned into a desperate and unbelieving one, and finally, bearing no more, she cast her eyes away from those beseeching crimson eyes. This person was not the one she had loved.

"No… But she was with me a second ago. She…"

"_She, _is gone."

He should have felt anger. He should have felt like cursing the whole world and shouting in rage towards heavens but he did not have any strength to do those things. She would not come back even if he did so. He slumped on the floor, in utter defeat from the battle of faith. Reality, had won. He had flew too high, and logically, the fall had been much greater, it was obvious: He had dreamt too far. His grip on the body tightened. He had finally held her, had finally been able to graze her face and touch her face, had thought that he would be able to protect her properly and hold her hand in case she tripped and thus see her smile. It was unfair… It was cruel to be only able to hold her when she was no more.

"Why… why … can I touch her now?"

"It seems that.." Halle watched coldly at the pair, surprised with herself that she felt no jealousy seeing the couple, "you two have synchronized your wavelengths perfectly when she went into your soul. Since my wavelength is the exact opposite to hers, it cancelled each other's out, nullifying the curse. It had low probabilities of succeeding but it looks like it somehow worked out."

The ghost's eyelashes fluttered close and she rose her voice as if it were a song, to close the story circle again. The ends had finally met. "I cursed you. This is my revenge…And now, I'll leave you to live to hurt alone… like myself."

A quiet patter on the ground made Soul gaze into the grayish eyes of Halle again. The demon ghost's tears poured down from the corner of her eyes.

"Why are you the one crying?"

He asked hiding his own tears behind his hair bangs. It was unfortunate, that there was no rain to hide their grief.

"It's not my soul that's crying…" she cleared her tears that rolled down her cheeks. "It's my brother's…"

"…You.. have lost him too?" There was an undeniable sadness in his tone. He understood her suffering, he was feeling it too: Both shared the most painful feeling in the world. Both knew that there was nothing more unbearable than this. Halle knew that she could at least free one of them from this life-lasting anguish. She had started it, so she would end it.

"…she isn't dead." She whispered with much effort. She saw how the weapon gave her a confused gaze.

"But you said that…"

"… her soul's wavelength is broken. She is in soul-coma state. Her heart and soul are one, so if we heal her soul…" Soul's eyes recovered it's light.

"… her heart will beat again… How can we do that?"

"She needs a complimentary wavelength."

"Use mine. Just tell me how I can…"

"No." Halle said and placed her hand on her chest. " We'll use mine."

"Is this… Is this your brother's doing too?" he asked her, suspicion was mingled somewhere in his question, but he was answered back with honesty.

"No, this is my will."

"Will it ...be painful for you?" he carefully inquired.

Concern, was in his eyes. And as eyes are windows of a one's soul, concern was on his soul. A warm feeling stirred on her… The feeling she had been desperately searching in him, displayed in a moment of parting. Life was truly unfair.

The ghost descended from her throne in the sky and breath deep before submitting herself to the eternal rest.

Was she scared of death?

She asked herself again.

_Yes_, but now she felt she could face it and walk a new path, a road that she had not dared to tread upon before. She had always been running away.

"No." She answered back softly "No, it won't be painful."

"Why are you doing this for me?" The weapon asked her, believing that there couldn't be any reason; He had hurt her in so many ways, he had been inhuman. Halle meditated on the question before answering.

"I don't know myself. But.." she whispered before fading and smiling for the first time since she had become a demon, "Maybe… it's because I loved you once."

An angelical light covered the demon and Soul did not turn away until the very end.

"….Thank you."

The rabbit's kindness had been imprinted in the moonlight, Genn's loyalty had been remained as a soul, and Halle's love left a rose.

A beautiful white rose.

"…Soul?"

…………………..

**End**

…………………….

AN: This is pretty much the conclusion of the story. I'll do an epilogue though. Still, I hope you enjoyed it while it lasted. I know I did, this was my first time doing a series and was so much fun. At first I was really confused on how should I do the whole plot development thing but I'm glad it somehow worked out. XD Thank you so much for supporting me!

Tell me what you think (synonym of Review). And thanks for all the sugar and bubble gums (synonym of review)!

Luvs,

Lafeedeslilas


	11. Epilogue

Where the battle was heated and the heart at loss,

The breathe heavy as lead, chocking by its own coughs,

He lay there staring helplessly at his own reflection,

His reflection that paled on the moon's wall.

His look is that of a filthy-blooded murderer,

A jealous ran-away filled with ominous fear.

He had shattered an innocent flower's fragrance,

And now it had come for revenge; soaked in bloody sin.

Time is unjust to everyone and so fair is to the law.

The clothing he wears now is his armor, his shielding cloak.

It keeps him from the world's cold but also from it's warmth.

Because he was afraid.

The formal suit, jet black in painting, drops from head to toe,

And White elegant gloves covers his hands, from reaching trust.

He grovels on the ground with the tragic burden on top,

He curses the crimson skies, those pitiless space that break apart.

He cries for a saving, but the very chill drowns his shouts.

Knowledge, comes to him, in the cruelest form: the present.

Convinces him that no one will come,

That everyone is occupied with their own.

He shut his eyes to dream no more.

However…

However…

He can't bear to look away and searches once again.

He tells himself that he won't lose, he won't give in to fate.

And there she came, not in front nor back from him,

But next to him, arm to arm; knee, to knee.

She holds his hand, the untouchable barrier,

And places it on her face; the warmth seeps in.

He yanks her towards his chest, wordless yet with meaning,

He hugs her tight and realizes that his soul had been waiting.

There is no declaration of love, no proclamation of gratitude,

Just a single tear from a hurt crimson eye and,

Her touch.

Only her touch.

……………..

"Her touch- Epilogue: Let them be"

………………

"Soul… This place is …."

He tucked his head, and hid his hands on his pockets searching in vain for a warmth to calm him. He clicked his tongue as a way to reproach himself for forgetting his gloves in the house. Slowly, he breathed in and sighed, lifting his face towards the scenery that unfolded in front of his glassy eyes. He still felt faint about everything that had happened. It was December, the white month, and two months had passed quietly since then. They had finally gotten the chance to come to the place.

"Yeah, this is where everything started…"

Seeing that he needed not of her words, Maka kept quiet. She merely watched how her partner's mind wandered off to the place he had not been in since the 'death' of his first meister. She noticed by herself too that the place they were in was deserted. What once had been a place of dwelling, a place of life, was now a pile of rubble and broken phone lines. The sky extended itself more vastly, and the wind passed with ease, without meeting any brick wall; it was cold. And even so, there was no merciful snow to hide the miserable view.

"Oi, let's go…" he huffed, letting the faintly warm breeze from his breath turn into small clouds at the touch of the cold air of the still grey winter morning.

Maka nodded silently and carefully followed the steps of her partner, cuddling herself in her coat to keep the chilly air from her body. The rests of concrete made her feet wobble as she walked, but she made no complains and kept rushing forward; Soul was ahead. She stopped when he took no more steps. They had reached an oddly empty space and it seemed oddly nostalgic; as if she had been there before. The area they stood on now didn't have a single piece of stone on it, and the center lay cleanly before their eyes as if it were the middle point of some kind of explosion. Maka looked around and noticed that while the more farther the center stretched itself, it became darker. A strand of wind brought before her emerald eyes what it seemed to be a small black feather, which she soon realized to be ash.

This was the spot where he had broken Halle's soul.

"It's here." Soul said crouching, and pushing back at the same time the muffler that choked his neck slightly. He extended his hand towards his meister. "Give it."

Maka handed down the rose.

As soon as he received the flower, he gently let it rest on the floor and began to dig the soil. He felt his hands going numb and from the side, Maka saw how it reddened because of the freezing air; never the less, he did not stop the digging. The scrapping sounds faded along the silence and finally he planted it gently on the hole. Dawn started its job of lighting the sky and it welcomed warmly the new dweller of the place. Maka, who had been all the time waiting patiently, stepped up to the still-not-blooming rose bud and watered it gently with a small bottle that she had carried in her pocket. The sun smiled.

"….A …repented soul…. "

It was a one of a million kind of soul. Sinful souls were hard to be saved, however, this one had been able to do so by itself.

Soul nodded at the description and Maka gazed at the white rosebud.

She recalled reading once that a white rose meant honor and reverence towards parting with a loved one…. Just as much as it meant pure love.

She clenched her heart. She couldn't bring herself to mutter sorry, it sounded mocking after all the twins had been through; she didn't have the right. And she did not found it all that appropriate to say thank you. Yes, Halle had saved her life but what she had done had been entirely for Soul, and Genn had been able to save his sister's soul with his unwavering loyalty; it had been his own strength. After pondering, she finally decided on what to do and bent and kissed the flower.

"Oi! What did you _that _for?" Soul groaned with a scowl from below.

"It's a sign of my respect…" Maka answered blinking. Actions contained more words than a sentence, after all.

"Hmph."

Maka smiled.

"You don't have be _jealous_, my first kiss was with you…" she whispered with a small pout, but the whooshing of the wind carried away her words.

"What? I didn't hear you.." Soul asked looking at her, grumpily.

Maka only smiled mysteriously, receiving a very puzzled look from her partner.

"Nothing… Shall we head home now?" She extended her hand once more. Soul stared at it intently as his mind recalled how many times he had seen this helping hand had sought for him. He reached for it and this time, clasped it firmly and stood up. The moment he saw the sky nearer, he promised himself that the next time, he would be the one who would reach out for her. He would become stronger for her.

They started to walk down the path they had come from, when Soul paused unnoticed by Maka who walked a few steps ahead of him, and turned around for the last time towards the direction of the flower. He gave her a small bow and walked away towards the new day.

The white rose bloomed.

The past was behind.

He trotted to catch up with his meister and when he was next to her, he pulled one of her pigtails down, earning an angry yelp.

"Ouch! Why did yo-"

Soul grabbed his meister's hand preventing the expert chopping motion before it fell, and silenced her with a light kiss.

"If he was your first kiss, then I'm your last." He mumbled and tucked her hand into his pocket together with his, startling her for a second but earning another smile of hers the next. He felt glad that he had forgotten his gloves in his home. The warmth of her touch felt gentle to his own fingers. His embarrassed eyes hid themselves from hers, but the boy new that she understood everything.

Suddenly a smirk spread across his face. He had just had the thought that his love was, indeed, like holding her hand; he just never wanted to let go.

End.

…………..

Author notes:

End.

End.

End.

The word resounds in my mind, literally. Ah… I feel small tears cornering my eyes. I'm going to miss writing this sequel. Well, anyways, no time for crying. I have to thank you all for feeding me with reviews, sugar, two-feet cookies and bubble gums. You guys are awesome.

And though it is the end, I'm going to write another story that'll have a similar style. The plot will be totally different though. And will include all the other characters. Look forward to it, 'cause I'll definitely will. The name of the new fic will be: "Rest in Peace". I hope you'll like it.

Salute to all my faithful companions (whom I'll ask to review for the last time this last chapter T.T)!

Lafeedeslilas.


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